After a 48-hour strike that saw the army manning antiquated fire trucks pulled out of mothballs, the Fire Brigades Union and the government sat down to try to reach a settlement before the beginning of a threatened eight-day strike on Nov. 22. If they succeed, this and two other strikes planned in December will be canceled. The British Airports Authority (BAA) and the airport workers union agreed to talks to begin Nov. 20 in an effort to avert a series of 24-hour strikes that could close seven airports in Britain, including Heathrow. These strikes are set to begin at 6 a.m. on Nov. 28, Dec. 2, 10, 15, 23 and Jan. 2. The BAA has stated that if strikes go ahead, it “cannot guarantee there will be no disruption on the dates selected by unions. However, we are developing specific arrangements aimed at operating services to our customers on strike days.” If no settlement is reached, monitor the situation through your airline, news reports or the BAA Web site at www.baa.co.uk.
