Thomas Cook UK Pilots Call Off Friday Strike

Pilots at Thomas Cook’s UK airline have suspended the strike due to take place on Friday as the BALPA union consults members over further industrial action.

The union said the pause in industrial action is for members to consider an escalation of the strikes to eight days during October. Friday’s strike was the third of four planned in support of a dispute over pay and conditions.

British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said “There is the option of arbitration, but at the moment Thomas Cook has not indicated they would be prepared to accept this as a means of resolving their dispute with their pilots.”

The first strike, on September 8, was followed by talks with the airline under the auspices of the UK’s negotiating and arbitration service ACAS. No agreement was reached and pilots walked out again on Saturday September 23.

Thomas Cook UK said no flights were cancelled during the previous strikes.