Unite Union Confirms New Ballot

It seems that the Unite union was not moved by British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh’s speech that he would not back down from the battle. This news comes as the union said that preparations for a new ballot for the British Airways cabin crew are at an advanced stage.

British Airways can continue to strike under the current mandate. However, the 12 week legal protective period ends this month. If a ballot for further strike action does take place, it will have to be on a new issue from the courts.

The disagreement over wages and working practices, which was at the heart of the problem to start with, seems to be overcome. However, the airline’s refusal to reinstate travel perks for cabin crew members that took part in the first strikes continues to cause a delay in an agreement.

Len McCluskey told British Airways cabin crew at a meeting on June 9^th that an agreement should have been reached a long time ago. However, this bunker mentality suggests that the true objective is not cutting costs, but crushing the workforce. Thus, talking though these problems will not help find peace.

If the Unite union does go ahead with the further strike action, British Airways has pledged to lower the number of flights it has to cancel. A spokesperson for the airline said that the strikes have progressed, and they have upped the schedule. On May 24^th, when the strikes started, the airline was only able to operate 60 percent of its long haul flights. This got moved up to 70 percent in the second strike and then to 80 percent during these latest strikes.