23 February 2010

BA faces fresh strike threat

British Airways cabin crew have backed a ballot for industrial action.

Unite union members voted to take action in a dispute over jobs, pay and working conditions.

The union said it would not be announcing any strike dates as it hoped to continue negotiations with the airline.

By law the union must give a week's notice if it plans to take action - meaning strikes could begin from the first week of March.

Unite has already pledged that there will not be stoppages over the Easter period.

An earlier vote in favour of strikes was deemed illegal.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey described the ballot result as "a clear indication of the deep sense of grievance that our members feel".

"We can only hope that BA management will now recognise the only way to resolve this is through negotiation, not through litigation and certainly not through intimidation," he said.

Cabin crew were due to take 12 days of strike action over Christmas but BA won a legal battle to prevent this, after it emerged that the union had balloted members who were no longer at the airline.

by Phil Davies

Post your comment

Your Comments (3)

It all helps

I'm for anything that puts the public off flying and encourages them to holiday in the UK, so keep the stupidity up guys - you're doing a grand job! and lets keep the business in the UK

By nigel harris, Thursday, February 25, 2010
Union hypocrisy

I am sick and tired of hypocrites like Derek whatsit of Unite playing his 'man of the people/up the workers' card, all the while pulling down a salary of somewhere north of £1m. No one will convince me that there is not an agenda here to try to bring down BA and that behind it you will find agitators led by the the General Secretary of Unite.

By Nick Holland, Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Is it me or do the union members just not get it?

The company is at the precipice of a cliff, looking death in the face if they cannot cut costs to at the very least be competitive with the other airlines who have not had to endure (in my humble opinion) the neo fascist approach to staff loyalty. Sadly BA may not be strong enough to fight off the "pack" but if they could face up to this and win, they would only come back, bigger, better and stronger and could indeed be once again something to be proud of.

By Kenny Picken, Tuesday, February 23, 2010