Budapest - Budapest's Ferihegy International Airport was running almost normally on Wednesday, as management and unions resumed talks following a week of damaging industrial action.

"The traffic situation at the airport has improved significantly, although for now terminal 2B is the only one handling passengers, which it is doing without any big delays," said Domokos Szollar, spokesman for the airport operator Budapest Airport (BA).

The firm had announced in the morning that 200 of 299 employees had turned up for work. Furthermore, BA has subcontracted team of Greek security personnel, who have been working at the airport since Monday.

This controversial move by management prompted immediate outrage followed by official protests from domestic, Greek and international trade union organisations.

Negotiations between management and unions dragged on past midnight on Tuesday, but the two sides again failed to reach an agreement. BA subsequently sent a draft compromise agreement, ready to be signed, to unions and employees.

Szollar said this document was behind the dwindling support for the strike, saying workers were now "voting with their feet".

Airport staff came out on strike on December 10 in an attempt to force BA to end a restructuring programme and sign a new collective employment contract. Unions also want backdated overtime payments and a pledge from management that there will be no job cuts before 2010 and no further outsourcing. (dpa)