25 January 2010

Union warns BA over strike-breaking cabin crew

British Airways' passengers could be put at risk if strike-breaking cabin crew do not have the experience to respond to emergency situations, the union behind planned strike action warned.

Unite, opening a ballot for industrial action today which will close on February 22, claimed public concern will grow over plans to fast-track strike breakers.

The union says that at the very minimum, BA cabin crew are trained to

 1. Deliver babies.

 2. Administer CPR.

 3. Administer Epipen injections to people who go into anaphylactic shock.

 4. Operate the Defibrilator for people who have suffered cardiac arrest.

 5. Take command of a life raft in a ditching scenario.

  6. Deploy survival techniques.

  7. Fire fight.

  8. In search techniques when bomb threats are received.

  9. In restraint techniques for disruptive passengers.

  10. Pilot incapacitation i.e how to deal with a pilot who becomes unconscious.Experienced crew have three months training but the union fears that BA's 21-day training programme for strike breakers may not result in a "confident, professional" crew and will not support team working a successful crew is built upon.

Unite condemned BA's "increasingly aggressive" recruitment operation as an attempt to intimidate cabin crew out of taking industrial action to defend their jobs and conditions.

Len McCluskey, Unite's assistant general secretary, said: "BA resorts to intimidating them with macho threats to replace crew with vastly inexperienced volunteers.

"Not only does this show contempt for the crew, what message does it send to passengers who have paid to be cared for by a premier airline?

"Airlines are run by teams but this cynical ploy will destroy industrial relations at the company for years to come and trash this airline's brand along the way."

by Phil Davies