Guardian UK: British Airways 'declares war' on union after talks fail

[marmar]

BA 'declares war' on union after talks fail
Dramatic escalation of dispute as three-day strike begins tomorrow morning

Dan Milmo, transport correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Friday 19 March 2010


BA has an extensive strike-breaking plan and is preparing to move passengers with the help of 1,000 volunteer cabin crew and 22 chartered jets. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

British Airways tonight threatened to suspend co-operation with Britain's largest trade union after last-ditch talks failed to prevent a three-day strike by cabin crew starting today.

In a dramatic escalation of the bitter industrial dispute with Unite, BA warned that it will scrap an agreement that gives shop stewards the use of company offices and time off to represent members – unless a new framework is drawn up.

One industrial relations expert said that ending the arrangement, which stipulates how much work BA employees can do for Unite and what facilities they use, would reduce co-operation to the "bare minimum".

The failure of the peace talks is a bitter blow to Gordon Brown, who was desperate to banish the spectre of large-scale industrial action 46 days before the likely election date.

Tonight an extensive strike-breaking plan moved into gear at BA as the airline prepared to move 65% of its passengers over the next three days with a workforce of 1,000 volunteer cabin crew and 22 chartered jets, including three Ryanair planes complete with no-frills flight attendants. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/19/ba-strike-dates-union-talks

[miscsoc]

1. Great timing

I don't deny the cause is just, but it can only harm Labour's prospects in the next election. Wonder if they've been infiltrated by someone. Oh wait this is the british labour movement, we can sabotage ourselves

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. The timing was caused by British Airways

The vote to strike started in November; although 92.5% of the vote was for strikes, that vote was struck down by BA in the courts because it included a few people who were about to leave the company. So they had to hold the vote all over again.

British Airways is infamous for a heavy-handed, sometimes illegal management style (eg their dirty tricks against Branson's Virgin Atlantic). They also run the company pretty badly (I've sat for hours at an airport because they'd screwed up the crew schedules). It's an indication of how difficult it is to have an official strike these days that one strike like this generates so much news.

[FarCenter]

3. BA and Heathrow are best avoided at all costs, even in normal times