17/05/2010

BA And Union To Hold Strike Talks

British Airways (BA) and Unite the union will meet today to try to prevent the latest series of strikes by its cabin crew.

The meeting is to be chaired by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) at 4pm today.

BA boss Willie Walsh and Unite General Secretary Tony Woodley are also to meet with Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.

Responding to the Acas invitation a Unite spokesperson said: "We are ready to meet with BA under any auspices to try to find a solution."

The airline is also taking legal action in the High Court to try to have the strike called off.

BA has already taken successful legal action, and stopped a strike in December.

Mr Woodley said an agreement had been reached, however a settlement was on hold because of travel concessions and disciplinary action against strikers.

Unite has laso accused Mr Walsh as being "vindictive" toward the union and its members.

The first strike is to begin tomorrow, 18 May, and is to end on 22 May.

Rochelle Turner, Head of Research for Which? Holiday, said: "Air passengers have faced massive disruption to their journeys over the past few months as a result of industrial action and volcanic ash.

"We hope BA will provide information about cancelled flights to its passengers as quickly as possible, and urge BA and Unite to come to a resolution soon so that passengers won't be left in limbo."

(CD/BMC)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

12 August 2005
Talks to begin over Heathrow catering row
Talks are set to begin in an attempt to resolve the industrial dispute, which has led to the cancellation of flights and the stranding of over 70,000 passengers at London’s Heathrow airport.
23 June 2004
Network Rail in High Court bid to halt strike
Network Rail has applied to the High Court for an injunction against strike action by rail workers proceeding next week. The Rail and Maritime Transport (RMT) union is to hold a 24-hour strike on Tuesday June 29 and Wednesday June 30, over a failure to reach agreement on pensions.
20 May 2004
Network Rail staff vote for strike action
Members of the Rail, Maritime & Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail have today voted to take industrial action. The move is in response to members' concerns over pensions, two-tier travel concessions and pay.
26 March 2010
BA Prepares For Second Strike
British Airways will fly more than 75% of customers booked to travel between tomorrow and March 30, despite these four days being targeted for strikes by Unite. The airline said approximately 240,000 customers originally booked to travel in the strike period, the airline expects to fly more than 180,000.
15 December 2009
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.