Emergency

Growing concerns about proposed strike action by the immigration service during the Euro 2004 tournament have been heightened by a similar threat by fire-fighters. During the Third National Congress of Professional Firemen, representatives lamented the fact that the government has failed to respond to several questions regarding operational procedures posed by the Union over two months ago. They claim that the fire service is still in the dark as to detailed information pertaining to the new stadia. Particularly alarming is the fact that the fire service has, apparently, been neither informed nor consulted about emergency plans and their integration into municipal procedures, emergency exits, access routes and the hospitals that have been designated to deal with any situation outside the norm. Similar uncertainties surround the Rock in Rio event. Should these points not be cleared up swiftly, the Union will advise its members to take industrial action during the Championship.