BA faces new strike

The threat of Industrial action loomed again at British Airways yesterday after the Unite union said cabin crew working under “mixed fleet” employment terms will strike for three days this week.

The 2,500 personnel, who make up about 15% of the airline’s cabin crew, will strike for 72hr from midnight on Thursday (19 January). The action follows a two-day stoppage last week.

Unite union called on BA “to drop its confrontational stance and start listening to ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew about their legitimate concerns over pay.”

The union says basic pay starts at £12,192 with £3 per hour flying pay. Unite estimates the mixed fleet cabin crew earn £16,000 average a year.

BA, which has challenged the pay figures and says crew earn far more than claimed, issued a statement calling Unite's move "bizarre, as well as regrettable".

The airline said the earlier strike, a two-day walkout staged from 10 January, "failed in its objective", and this week’s action would create "further division" among union members and was "completely without justification".

BA said it would provide details on its contingency plans today (Monday) and that it “will once again ensure that all of our customers will travel to their destinations”.

www.unitetheunion.org

www.britishairways.com

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John Davidson, France

BA's cabin crew and service (although this has mainly been in First) has been outstanding. Much better, for example, than Qatar. The Concorde lounge is a never-to-forget pre-boarding experience, too. So it's sad to hear about labor unrest.