BA Takes Legal Action To Stop Strike

British Airways has launched legal action in a bid to stop a planned 12-day strike by cabin crew staff in a protest over new working practices over the festive period.

The airline launched the legal challenge to halt the strike - planned to take place between December 22 and January 2 - which was announced yesterday, following a ballot by members of the Unite union.

The airline emphasised "irregularities" in the strike ballot, which, it said, could render the vote invalid.

It is understood that BA believe that ballot papers had been sent to employees who had already left or were in the process of leaving employment and that such employees should not have received papers.

In a statement, BA said that it was launching the action in an attempt to protect customers from the "massive stress and disruption" threatened by the strike.

the statement said: "We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite. We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined."

Meanwhile, Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley, Joint General Secretaries of Unite, issued a statement accusing "macho management" of pushing BA to the brink. The statement said: "Christmas travel on British Airways is being held hostage by a macho management which prefers imposition and confrontation, or even litigation, to negotiation.

"Last Friday, we offered to suspend any industrial action and declare a 'pause of peace' if the company would only agree to suspend its imposition of new terms and conditions on cabin crew.

"Willie Walsh turned this offer down flat. Confrontation, not negotiation, is his approach, even though an industrial dispute will cost the company vastly more money than his projected savings from attacking cabin crew conditions.

"If British Airways want to get Christmas back on schedule, and values it relations with its own core employees, it will now take up our offer: suspend the imposition of contractual changes and we will suspend the strike."

More than a million passengers are expected to be affected by the proposed strike, while BA would face heavy financial losses, predicted to be as much as £300 million.

The announcement of the strike is the latest blow to hit the troubled airline, which reported a record £401 million loss in its last financial year, as well as its first ever interim loss of £292 million for the six months to the end of September.

BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh issued a statement to passengers which described the strike action as "completely unjustified".

He said: "Let me say immediately we will do everything we can to assist you at what will clearly be a very difficult time if strikes go ahead. We are working hard on contingency plans and will announce them as soon as they are finalised."

He added: "We are also urging Unite to return to the negotiating table."

Meanwhile, announcing the strike, Unite's Assistant General Secretary Len McCluskey said: "It goes without saying that we have taken the decision to disrupt passengers and customers over the Christmas period with a heavy heart. We sincerely hope that the strength of this vote will make BA think again and talk in earnest with us about how this disruption can be averted.

"We want a thriving, efficient BA, one which remains true to its passenger service standards, but it seems crazy logic to use that a company in such difficulties refuses the significant cost savings proposed by staff in favour of imposition and confrontation. We will discuss with BA any issue, even those our members find very difficult to accept, but we say please do not force us into a corner."

Meanwhile, BA's competitors are hoping that the strike will lead to customers using their airlines instead. BMI has already launched an advertising campaign in several newspapers which mentions the strikes, while Easyjet and Ryanair are reportedly keen to attract extra customers affected by the strike.

(KMcA/BMcC)