BA and Unite ‘too busy to talk’
The conciliation service Acas admitted it was struggling this week to get British Airways and Unite the Union to meet for peace talks as both sides were too busy to resolve their long-running dispute.
It said it was hoping to hold talks next week but it has so far not managed to get the two parties to fix a date.
An Acas spokesman said the two sides ‘had various commitments this week’ which meant that the talks could not be held sooner. He added: "We are looking at days next week but we haven’t got a confirmed date yet."
The dispute between BA and its cabin crew heated up today after it was revealed that Unite leader Len McCluskey had written to the head of the pilot’s union urging pilots not to cross picket lines if cabin crew went ahead with further strikes.
Crew last week voted in favour of further industrial action over British Airways disciplinary action against staff who took part in earlier strikes and the airline’s refusal to immediately reinstate travel perks for crew involved in industrial action.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, McCluskey wrote to general secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) Jim McAuslan requesting that pilots blocked BA’s strike-breaking plans by refusing to carry out cabin crew duties as many did in the past.
McCluskey allegedly wrote: “As you will be aware, the company mounted an extensive strike-breaking operation when cabin crew took lawful industrial action last year.
"This included inducing other employees to undertake cabin crew duties. Those so induced included a number of members of Balpa.
“It has come to my attention that further pilots employed by BA, members of Balpa, are presently being trained to undertake cabin crew duties in the event of a further strike.
“I am writing to formally request that you issue advice to all your members employed at BA that they should not undertake such training, and should not do cabin crew duties if Unite cabin crew do indeed take further strike action. In my view, issuing such advice is the least any trade union should do under the circumstances.”
However, McAuslan said Balpa remained impartial in the dispute, which he compared to the miners’ strike of the 1980s.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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