Airport staff call off strikes after new pay offer

Four one-day strikes that threatened to paralyse seven airports were called off last night when firefighters agreed to consider a new pay offer.

Four one-day strikes that threatened to paralyse seven airports were called off last night when firefighters agreed to consider a new pay offer.

The Transport and General Workers' Union, which represents 4,000 firefighters, security staff and other airport workers, suspended the action after employers offered a 7 per cent increase over two years, worth on average £1,400.

The union described the deal from BAA as a "significant improvement" and called off four of five 24-hour strikes at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports due to start on Thursday. The fifth, on 23 December, will be staged if the pay dispute is not resolved.

Both the TGWU and the skilled workers' union Amicus had previously rejected a 6.3 per cent offer, demanding a deal that took into account greater demands on their members and BAA's profits. The Amicus union, representing about 600 airport workers, said it would decide this morning whether to accept the offer.

Meanwhile, thousands of schools in London and the Home Counties will close tomorrow when teachers, caretakers and cleaners walk out in a dispute over money. The staff are demanding an increase to their cost-of-living allowance of £6,000. The strike is supported by the National Union of Teachers, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers and the local government union Unison.

The 8,000 Tube staff belonging to the RMT rail union will vote this week on the right to walk out over health and safety concern. The Underground has suspended drivers who have not worked because of "safety concerns".