BA strike escalates

The union behind the mixed fleet cabin crew strike at British Airways said last week a further two-week stoppage had been called to begin three days after the current 16-day dispute ends next Sunday and set to extend into the summer travel peak.

The union, Unite, is also threatening a legal challenge over BA’s use of Qatar Airways aircraft and crews, which have been helping BA to maintain its schedules during the present strike.

BA at the weekend repeated its claim that 99.5% of flights were operating. The airline added: “The large majority of our cabin crew are working normally. We have written to them to thank them for continuing to support our customers.”

Reacting to the threatened extension of industrial action, BA said it seemed “extraordinary” that a trade union should ask its members to give up their pay and benefits for virtually the whole of July.

The airline accused Unite of “trying to target the holidays of hard-working families, rather than give those members a chance to settle the central issue of the dispute" and called on the union to allow members to vote on a pay offer made two months ago.

www.britishairways.com

www.unitetheunion.org

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justin s, london

it would be useful if your article stated the dates of planned strikes?