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BA Strike: United We Stand PDF Print E-mail
Solidarity Action
Written by Chris Edwards   
Wednesday, 16 December 2009 03:01

From the Unite the Union website:

BA: United we stand campaign

+++STOP PRESS+++


Fighting back at British Airways – airline warned Walsh's slash and burn strategy could destroy the company

"We're going to send a message to Willie Walsh." Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary

United we stand logoBritish Airways is now on a collision course with thousands of cabin crew amid draconian plans to axe 1,700 jobs, impose a two-year wage freeze and introduce a second tier workforce.

On Monday November 2nd a mass meeting of cabin crew at Sandown racecourse saw Unite feedback to members on why negotiations with the company have stalled. Unite continues to seek a negotiated solution and remains willing to begin talks with the company at any time.

Unite has also announced that it plans to ballot 14,000 British Airways cabin crew over the imposition of contracts. The ballot result should be announced in mid December with the opportunity for strike action from 21st December 2009.

Background

Rep BA Oct 2009Unite has denounced BA's attempt to impose significant contractural changes on its 14,000 cabin crew employees, and introduce a second tier workforce on poorer pay and conditions.

Unite believes the new contractural changes are an attempt to force staff to pay the price for management failings with the company wringing more and more out of fewer and fewer staff who will be paid less.

Working hours will be extended, crew levels will be slashed, career opportunities will disappear and new starters will be brought in on bargain basement wages.  Unite says this will inevitably damage customer service and hit the brand, possibly leaving it beyond repair.

Read the full article from the October/November 2009 edition of Unite's Workplace Reporter: BA warned to back off

Check out the latest campaign media and news releases.

Supporting information

BA cabin crew vote nine to one for strike action

14th December 2009

Unite the union, the biggest union in aviation, today (Monday) announced that a ballot of over 12,000 cabin crew at British Airways revealed an overwhelming vote for strike action in a dispute over the imposition of sweeping changes to working practices.

92.4 percent of all those who returned their ballot forms voted yes to industrial action on an 80 percent turnout.

Twelve consecutive days of strike action have been announced, beginning on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 and lasting until Saturday, January 2nd, 2010.

Announcing the strike action, Unite assistant general secretary Len McCluskey appealed to BA's management to begin talks immediately to resolve the dispute: "It goes without saying that we have taken the decision to disrupt passengers and customers over the Christmas period with a heavy heart.  We sincerely hope that the strength of this vote will make BA think again and talk in earnest with us about how this disruption can be averted.

"We want a thriving, efficient BA, one which remains true to its passenger service standards, but it seems crazy logic to us that a company in such difficulties refuses the significant cost savings proposed by staff in favour of imposition and confrontation.  We will discuss with BA any issue, even those our members find very difficult to accept, but we say please do not force us into a corner.

"We urge BA and its board to take a pause, step back and work with us to find a way forward.  Negotiation is the way to resolve this dispute and we are ready anytime, any place, 24 hours a day to get back round the table to find a solution."

The dispute was triggered by the imposition in November by BA of new working practices, which would see between one and three crew members taken off flights, in the process hitting the customer service standards for which the airline is known.  BA's imposition also dismantles long-standing collective agreements which govern working arrangements and payment structures.  With 75 per cent of crew earning £20,000 after many years service, allowances make up a considerable portion of their earnings.

ENDS



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