BA strike dates set
13.03.10
British Airways cabin crew are to strike for seven days later this month after talks with management broke down without an agreement, the Unite union, which represents the majority of the carrier’s 12,0000 flight attendants, said yesterday. The union said members agreed Thursday to stage an initial three-day strike beginning March 20, followed by a further four-day action from March 27. This means the union has stuck to its pledge not to dispute Easter peak holiday flights.
Unite acknowledged a revised offer by the airline that was submitted to union officials on Thursday and said members would be invited to vote on it next week. But union leadership said it could not recommend the new proposal to its members and was therefore setting its strike dates in order to meet a legal requirement of seven days’ advance notice before its current strike mandate expires on March 22. The vote on the airline’s latest offer would be concluded by March 19, the eve of the first proposed strike.
The prime minister, Gordon Brown, called on both sides to continue talks in order to avert a walkout. He said: ‘The disruption to the services is totally unacceptable. I’m not only disappointed but want to see a resolution as soon as possible.’
BA is seeking to save £60 million per year in costs through a two-year wage freeze for cabin crew and what it says are ‘minor’ changes to work contracts. The airline said Friday that it had rejected a union counterproposal because the savings it contained fell ‘significantly’ short of its target. It said that it will make all efforts to keep aircraft flying. It will use 1000 volunteer cabin crew along with as many as 7000 crew members who will not strike and is chartering in 23 aircraft.
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