19/03/2010

BA Crew Will Strike

Eleventh hour talks have failed to avert strike action by British Airways flight attendants.

Unite cabin crew members will, from midnight, start seven days of industry action, it was confirmed this afternoon

Staff are in dispute with the airline over working conditions and cut backs.

The picket will run for three days from Saturday. With a further four days of action being staged from 27 March.

"These Unite members understand the pressures the recession places on the company. But they believe BA’s future, and 40,000 jobs, depend on it staying a premier airline," said a union spokesman.

"For over one year crew have tried to get management to negotiate. They’ve even offered to save the service by making sacrifices – up to £62 million in savings. But BA won’t listen."

BA said it was "very disappointed" that after lengthy negotiations Unite has rejected any settlement.

"In recent days, we have shown considerable flexibility in the interests of protecting customers from the effects of this completely unjustified industrial action."

A BA spokesman continued: "It is a great pity that Unite continues to show such disregard for the interests of our customers and our business – and for public opinion at large.

"We will continue to strengthen our contingency plans to ensure that as many customers as possible can fly to their destinations during the strike period."

He added: "We know that many cabin crew will work normally in the days ahead, and we look forward to their contribution – and that of tens of thousands of colleagues across the airline – as we keep our customers and our aircraft flying."

(PR/GK)

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