Threat of Holiday Chaos at Christmas – Money Deal Rejected by British Airways Cabin Crew

Nov. 15, 2010 - PRLog -- Travellers trying to get home for a traditional Christmas dinner or away for New Year celebrations could see their plans severely disrupted by ongoing British Airways (BA) pay disputes.

The latest deal between BA bosses and the Unite union has collapsed casting a shadow over many holidaymakers and homeward bound business traveller’s plans.

The British Airline Stewards and Stewardesses’ Association (BASSA), hard-line leaders of Unite’s cabin crew branch, say they will not endorse the deal which they described as a ‘step too far’.

Others commented by saying rifts were beginning to occur within the giant union which had left the deal ‘in tatters’.

Joint-head of Unite, Tony Woodley and BA Chief Executive, Willie Walsh had held talks to thrash out the latest deal which was offered before militants at branch level rejected it.

The decision will now go to a ballot of the 14,000 cabin crew membership, but without a recommendation from branch leaders for them to vote for it.

Militant cabin crew groups were whispering of ‘wildcat strikes’ and ‘mass sickies’ at Christmas’ before an official strike would be conducted in January.

Industrial relations law means that a strike before Christmas would be unlikely as the union must hold a separate ballot for strikes, an action which should ease the concerns of those who have spent Christmas money on flights.

The ballot would take a month to organise, plus the union must then give a week’s notice before the intended action could take place.

One BASSA member said; “We will go back to war. BA will have to cancel many flights.”

“The Unite leadership clearly wants to avoid further embarrassing action in the long-running dispute over staffing levels, pay and working conditions”, confirmed Andrew James, spokesperson for Bad Credit Loans 4 You, a UK specialist at sourcing bad credit holiday loans http://www.bad-credit-loans-4-you.co.uk/holiday-loans-for...

“They are also rightly concerned they would not get any public sympathy if strike action occurred over Christmas, affecting bad credit families who have spent vast amounts of Christmas money.”

“Many bad credit holiday loans have gone towards these Christmas vacations and more action could cause a public backlash.”

BA issued a statement which confirmed that; ‘The company continues to deal directly with the union, Unite.’

Mr Walsh has also vowed to see off any strike action by using volunteer crew to ‘keep BA flying’.

An industry insider said; 'All the signs are that Mr Woodley and Unite are dragging their feet to avoid the prospect of an embarrassing Christmas walk-out.'

BA is due to hold its annual general meeting (AGM) on 29th November, which union members have said they will picket.

The airline's cabin crew workers have staged 22 days of strike action since March, costing the airline an estimated £150m.

Some of the public are astonished at the number of strikes which have taken place; “The average household debt is over £8500 and around 1500 people are losing their jobs per day at the moment.”

“You would have thought in these tough times the cabin crew would just be happy they had a job to get up to in the morning.”

“There are plenty of families out there struggling to get money for Christmas.”

The dispute originally began in November last year and centered on changes to staffing levels, pay and working conditions.

It subsequently got bogged down in a side-issue over BA's decision to remove travel perks, which included free and heavily discounted flights, from those who decided to striker, as well as additional disciplinary sanctions against members since March.

BA insist the deal offered is ‘fair and reasonable’ and Mr Woodley believes it to be “the best that can be achieved through negotiation in the current climate'.

However, a BASSA spokesman said; “While there are some good parts within BA's offer... there are many other clauses which we simply as a trade union cannot recommend.”
“We simply cannot be held to ransom.”

Those passengers who have obtained money for Christmas to visit family or friends over the festive period will be waiting with baited breath to see if they encounter any problems.

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