BA suspend 15 cabin crew over web comments
12.02.10
British Airways has been accused of ‘a cyberspace witch-hunt’ after it suspended 15 cabin crew members over ‘inappropriate postings’ made on the website of union Unite, or a Facebook page connected to that website, adding it would not tolerate ‘intimidation of staff’. A spokesman said the suspensions were for the alleged intimidation of volunteers training to work as stewards in the event of strike action.
The union and airline are locked in what is an increasingly bitter and tense dispute over cost cutting measures aimed at returning the airline to profitability. Unite said the comments were made on Facebook and that it would ‘vigorously defend’ its members. Unite also said it doubted the suspensions were solely to do with internet posts.
The Guardian reports that BA suspended 15 flight attendants who wrote Facebook comments and sent private emails about a 'name and shame' list of pilots who volunteered to help break any strike. The airline has also demanded that unions reveal the identities of a further 32 members of the cabin crew union, who posted messages about the list on a thread on its discussion forum.
A BA spokesman said: ‘We will not tolerate intimidation of our staff and any reports of staff being threatened will be thoroughly investigated. A number of staff have been suspended while we carry out investigations. Inappropriate comments have been posted on a union website and we have asked Unite for their assistance in removing these postings and identifying those individuals who have been involved.’
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