11.   Koroma had threatened mass firings if people did not return to work Monday, but there was no sign his warnings had any effect.

12.   Late Wednesday, Minister of Communications Zeljko Luzavec threatened the railroad workers with mass firings if they struck.

13.   The cuts have come from retirements and transfers of employees to affiliated firms, so Kimitsu and other big steel plants have avoided mass firings so far.

14.   The latest warning on Friday was Friday of mass firings if workers did not turn up at their jobs by Monday.

15.   The South African Rugby Football Union stood by the Transvaal union in the mass firing.

16.   Unions won a major victory Wednesday when the Federal Court in Melbourne issued an injunction halting the mass firings for a week.

17.   Workers have stayed home despite appeals and threats from the junta of mass firings.