British Airways Battles Strike Action in Court
On Monday, Unite union members announced at a meeting that some 12,500 British Airways cabin crew will walkout from December 22 - January 2 on strike. This is all due to the airline proposing pay freezes and further job loses in order to keep the company from going under. However, British Airways is said to be launching legal action against the strike in an attempt to prevent it from getting the go ahead.
The carrier says that their aim is to avoid massive disruption and stress on the passengers who are threatened by this strike action. They are set to argue in London’s High Court that the strike ballot was invalid since it involved members that aren’t employed by British Airways anymore, while United is accusing the company’s management of preferring confrontation over negotiation.
Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretaries, claimed in their announcement on Monday that British Airways’ macho management prefers confrontation, imposition and litigation over negotiation. They said that the union offered to suspend any action if the carrier would suspend imposing the new terms and conditions on the cabin crew. Walsh turned down the offer flat, without any negotiating, the general secretaries added.
Despite going to court to prevent the strike, British Airways is preparing for it should their legal action fail, establishing which staff will work over the 12-day period. Willie Walsh, the chief executive, says that they are determined to do all they can to protect their customers from the union’s appalling and unjustified decision. Unite was informed on Friday about the problems with its ballot, he continued, but they went ahead with a public threat to passengers. The airline doesn’t want a million Christmases to be ruined, he added, and they remain open to further talks with Unite.
Comments
Got something to say?