11 March 2010

New BA strike threat looms

LONDON - Talks between British Airways and the Unite union aimed at averting strike action by cabin crew have broken down without agreement.

No further talks were scheduled to be held.

BA cabin crew voted for strike action last month over cuts and changes to working conditions.

Unite leaders will meet to discuss their next move, while BA says it is open to further talks.

The BBC's business correspondent John Moylan said it looks increasingly likely that strike dates will be announced.

If it goes ahead with strike action, the union must announce the strike dates by Monday March 15 - the day when the union's mandate for industrial action runs out.

That follows the ballot of Unite cabin crew members last month, when 81 percent voted in favour of strikes.

Jamie Bowden, an aviation analyst and former BA employee, told the BBC that BA had up to 7,000 crew to work on aircraft, and was also preparing to allow other airlines to fly BA passengers in order to minimise disruption.

"With 7,000 crew ready to work the strike cannot be as effective as Unite would like it to be," he said.

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