11.   In a year of labor discontent, insurance industry workers are also starting a strike ballot next week.

12.   Klaus Zwickel, chairman of IG Metall, told the crowd that unless employers make a reasonable offer by Monday the strike ballot will begin.

13.   The employees, three-quarters of them women, will be urged to approve the strike ballot, likely to be held in late April.

14.   The result of the strike ballot will be announced Friday.

15.   The union representing most cabin crew at British Airways said Friday it was mailing strike ballots to members because it cannot resolve a pay dispute with the company.

16.   The union will decide in January whether to hold a strike ballot over contract negotiations with Lufthansa.

17.   Vidler said only about one in six of the unionized workers voted for a walkout in a low-turnout strike ballot.

18.   IG Metall leaders are to hold a further special meeting Wednesday afternoon to examine the result of the strike ballot.

19.   A strike ballot could last two weeks, so that no industrial action may be seen before mid-June.

20.   Already on Friday, the Baden-Wuerttemberg branch had asked union leaders for permission to hold a strike ballot.