81.   Unless a compromise is found, the union has said it would hold a strike authorization vote in mid-October.

82.   Workers had already approved a strike vote.

83.   Workers in Berlin were to start a strike vote, and employers and union negotiators planned to re-start stalled talks in the northern port city of Hamburg on Wednesday.

84.   A strike vote there would spread the labour crisis across the whole country.

85.   NUM spokesman Judith Weymont said the union would report back to its members at the weekend and expected a decision by Thursday on whether to hold a strike vote.

86.   Results of a strike authorization vote are set for next week.

87.   The metal was underpinned by a looming strike vote by technical and office workers at Canadian producer Inco and by the Canadian rail strike.