Oh joy

[bellinghman]

Unite has voted approximately 3:1 to strike at airports run by BAA, including Heathrow.

First strike most likely to happen? 'According to analysts', the August Bank Holiday weekend. (And I'd agree with the analysis.)

When do we fly out to Oz, and from where?

Oh yes.

Comments

[silly-swordsman.livejournal.com]

During the DWCon?

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Monday evening, yes.

Unfortunately, although in other years care has been taken to ensure that the DWCon and Worldcon had at least an empty weekend between them (2004 in particular, when PTerry was GoH at both), that's not the case this time. As Worldcon is in Australia this time, if we're to be in any sensible state when it starts on the Thursday, we have to depart on Monday.

It also meant having to take a single long chunk of time off, which means extra difficulty in booking holiday, which means we won't be turning up to Brum on the Thursday.

If Worldcon was anywhere else (well, OK apart from Japan and places it's never been to), the travelling time and time zone differences wouldn't be so much of a problem.

It's just as well that PTerry isn't attempting to attend Worldcons any more.

(And yes, I can appreciate why DWCon is the weekend it is, and it could be worse - the same weekend for instance. But there are at least some people who are missing DWCon entirely as a result.)

[natural20.livejournal.com]

Sadly, as I think we've discussed, the number of people involved is very small. If Terry was going to Oz, that would be a very different story indeed. I am, personally, sad that you will be missing some of DWcon because of the proximity, and I, of course, absolutely understand why, but yeah. And it wouldn't have been the same weekend!

And, most importantly, hopefully the strike will be averted.

[irishkate.livejournal.com]

hugs and fingers crossed

[autopope.livejournal.com]

F and I fly out on Wednesday 18th. That was previously billed as the earliest possible strike day. I'm really hoping that the strike is resolved before it's time for us to fly home on the 9th ... or indeed, before the strike actually starts.

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

The latter is, I would concur, the best possibility. I hope that the size of that majority will cause BAA to at least table a revised offer.

Unfortunately, there's always the possibility that BAA are being like BA, with twice as much As.

[knell.livejournal.com]

Booked ZRH-LHR-SFO on.. yeah, 31st August. Might be fun. Hopefully not.

[lostcarpark.livejournal.com]

Fingers crossed they won't strike on my way down under - on the 21st, as I also pass through Heathrow (if you're free come join me for a pint in Heathrow).

Hope they sort it all out, or at least get around the table long enough to delay things until we're all down there for the Worldcon.

Now if they want to go on strike after that, so that we can't get back, that's a different story!

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

It's about a 2.5 hour round trip from here to Heathrow, and we will anyway be at the farm between 14:00 and 17:00. So I regret that it's probably not practical.

I think you should be OK, though. The 21st is now less that 7 days, and I think that's less than the required notice period.