British Airways Cabin Crew Union ‘Pause’ Strikes

August 22, 2017

The Unite union representing some British Airways cabin crew urged the airline to use a temporary halt in industrial action to enter fresh talks to resolve the current impasse.

BA cabin crew working under ‘mixed fleet’ employment terms have been on multiple back-to-back strikes over the last two months in support of a pay claim. The current strike is due to end on Wednesday August 30, with no additional stoppages currently scheduled.

Unite’s general secretary Len McCluskey called on BA chief executive Alex Cruz to use what he called the ‘pause for peace’ to allow the two negotiating teams to “get around the table with a view to securing a mutually accepted resolution to the current dispute.”

The union said the series of rolling strikes has led to flight cancellations and the airline spending millions of pounds on wet leasing aircraft from other airlines to cover striking cabin crew.

Unite is taking legal action on behalf of cabin crew who have been sanctioned for taking strike action. The sanctions include the removal of bonuses worth hundreds of pounds, the union said.

Mixed fleet cabin crew basic pay starts at £12,192 with £3 an hour flying pay. Unite estimates that on average mixed fleet crew earn £16,000, including allowances, a year.

British Airways has maintained throughout the rolling work stoppages that all passengers would reach their destinations despite flight cancellations.

(Airwise)