Planned BA strike (May 2010)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has attacked the planned strike by British Airways cabin crew staff, calling it "totally unjustified".
He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the strike posed a threat "to the future of one of our great companies in this country".
The dispute is over reduced staffing levels and pay at the airline, with the first strike due to start on 20 March.
The Unite union said Lord Adonis "appears badly informed".
The strike starting on 20 March is due to last for three days, with a second four-day walkout due to begin on 27 March.
"Let's be absolutely clear the stakes are incredibly high in this strike and I absolutely deplore the strike," said Lord Adonis. "It is not only the damage it's going to do to passengers and the inconvenience it's going to cause - which is quite disproportionate to the issues at stake - but also the threat it poses to the future of one of our great companies in this country. It's totally unjustified, this strike, on the merits of the issues at stake, and I do call on the union to engage constructively with the company."
A spokesman for Unite said it and the cabin crew staff "want to avoid strike action", and that it "is always ready to negotiate".
He also called on Lord Adonis to publicly pressure BA^» (British Airways - about) to "put back on the table" the settlement offer it made last week.
This offer was withdrawn by BA on Friday after the airline said it was conditional on strike action being averted.
The offer included commitments on working hours and annual pay rises in exchange for the cabin crew workers agreeing to the BA's planned ^62.5m of cost cuts.
"If Lord Adonis is not prepared to speak out, he risks being seen as taking the part of a bullying and intransigent management," added the Unite spokesman.
BA backed Lord Adonis's comments, calling the strike "disproportionate". It said the cabin crew changes it imposed last November were vital cost-cutting measures to secure the airline's future and return it to profitability.
A BA spokesperson said although the company was facing two years of record financial losses, "unlike other businesses, we have avoided compulsory redundancies".
"Cabin crew face no pay cut or reduction in terms and conditions - and remain the best rewarded in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) airline industry."
Lord Adonis's comments were in contrast to the more conciliatory words used by Alistair Darling on Sunday.
"I am very, very clear that the two sides must get down and try and sort this out without inconveniencing the public or having any adverse impact on the economy," the chancellor told Sky News.
"I'm very clear that strikes, particularly a strike like this, particularly just before the Easter break, is extremely damaging for the travelling public, of course it's damaging to the airline and I think people need to think long and hard about the consequences of what they do."
Meanwhile, Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles has written to the Prime Minister calling on him to unequivocally condemn the planned strike action.
The Conservatives say Unite has given Labour ^11m over the past four years, and Mr Pickles has called on Labour to suspend its financial relationship with the union until the dispute is settled and the strikes are called off.
Unite has confirmed it will not strike over Easter, but warned there could be further action after 14 April if a resolution with BA is not agreed.
BA boss Willie Walsh said on Friday that the two parties were "not close at all" to coming to an agreement.
The Unite union and its members say the changes are disproportionate.
They also say they hit passenger services, as well as the earnings and career prospects of cabin crew.
Unite says it acknowledges the "need for change", and has proposed its own cost-cutting package, which it says is worth ^63m. BA has rejected this, disputing this figure.
Unite's assistant general secretary Len McCluskey says the airline is "bent on confrontation".
BA says it has trained other staff to do the work of cabin crew teams, and has pledged to fly as many planes as possible should the strike action go ahead.

Edit Note: Heading updated, to reflect subsequent events. C.

[Timmer]

What a breath of fresh air a labour minister condemning strike action.

[moonrakerz]

What a breath of fresh air a labour minister condemning strike action.

Perhaps he's angling to keep his post in a Cameron Government ?

[JayMac]

Can't expect much more action from government than the condemnation of Andrew Adonis.

Labour can't afford to upset its paymasters (UNITE union) so close the a General Election.

[Super Guard]

What a breath of fresh air a labour minister condemning strike action.

Perhaps he's angling to keep his post in a Cameron Government ?

He's said he wouldn't do that... but he is the only positive I have in Labour so I would be happy if he did!

[Tim]

He's said he wouldn't do that

He would say that wouldn't he.

[IndustryInsider]

I'm no expert on politics, but if there is a hung parliament after the election with the Tories only having a small majority (which is what most people seem to be predicting), is Cameron obliged to give a percentage of major roles within the Government to persons from other parties?

If that's the case, then perhaps Adonis would be an ideal candidate, as he does have cross-party admiration and as a Lord rather than elected MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) would be probably seem as 'less Labour' than other ministers?

[JayMac]

He's said he wouldn't do that

He would say that wouldn't he.

And remember, he used to be a Lib Dem.....

[paul7575]

I'm no expert on politics, but if there is a hung parliament after the election with the Tories only having a small majority (which is what most people seem to be predicting), is Cameron obliged to give a percentage of major roles within the Government to persons from other parties?

Don't remember any positions being offered when Wilson endured a hung period in 1977-78 - was that the Lib Lab pact?

I think there was supposed to have been a deal done in 1997 where Ashdown would have had a role in the government if his assistance had been needed to give a majority, but as it turned out it was never needed.

Paul

[paul7575]

Can't expect much more action from government than the condemnation of Andrew Adonis.

Labour can't afford to upset its paymasters (UNITE union) so close the a General Election.

Brown is having a go at them today though - even if on a fairly low profile programme. But it will still be reported.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8567409.stm

Paul

[super tm]

I'm no expert on politics, but if there is a hung parliament after the election with the Tories only having a small majority (which is what most people seem to be predicting), is Cameron obliged to give a percentage of major roles within the Government to persons from other parties?

If that's the case, then perhaps Adonis would be an ideal candidate, as he does have cross-party admiration and as a Lord rather than elected MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) would be probably seem as 'less Labour' than other ministers?

Just to point out if the tories have a small majority that means you do NOT have a hung parliament.  A hung parliament is when no party has over 50% of the seats.

[IndustryInsider]

Just to point out if the tories have a small majority that means you do NOT have a hung parliament.  A hung parliament is when no party has over 50% of the seats.

Thanks, super tm - I said I was no expert... 

[Tim]

I'm no expert on politics, but if there is a hung parliament after the election with the Tories [...] is Cameron obliged to give a percentage of major roles within the Government to persons from other parties?

If one party gets a majority the Queen asks them to form the Government .  If no party gets a majority (a hung parliment) The party with the most MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) may be invited to form a coalition Government with the minor parties (which doesn't just mean Lib-dem, also the Greens, UKIP (if they get any MPs), NI parties).  Just who gets the jobs in the coalition is to be decided by negotiation, but the minor party will want something out of it (either a number of cabinet positions or assurances on specific policies).  If no coalition can be formed you either get a minority administration or another election.

A coalition is likely to be Tory-Lib Dem or Labour-Lib-dem.  A labour-Tory coaltion wouldn't happen (both because they are in theory at opositite ends of teh political spectrum and also because a coalition would be between a major party and a minor party) , so If the Tories get the most seats it is hard to see how Adonis could stay in the government without becoming a Tory (or prehaps reverting to being a LD). 

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks for that, Tim.  So, if it was to end up in a minority administration, with no minor party wanting to agree to a coalition, then all posts within the Government would still go to that party?  I'm guessing that's unlikely though?

[Tim]

Thanks for that, Tim.  So, if it was to end up in a minority administration, with no minor party wanting to agree to a coalition, then all posts within the Government would still go to that party?  I'm guessing that's unlikely though?

probably unlikley, definately undesirable.  If a coalition cannot be formed (or if one collapses) because of disagreement, the Queen could ask the leader of the party with most votes to form a minority administration (and appoint him as PM).  In therory all cabinet post would be within the gift of the PM invited to form the administration.

A minority administration would find it difficult to get anything done, because every law needs a majority of MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) to vote for it.  If you don't have a party or coalition behind you you have to collect the votes of MPs outside of your party (whome you have no control over) on a case by case basis.  There is of course scope for all sorts of wheeler dealing but it would be odd to appoint a minister who wasn't within your party or your coalition (although in theory there is nothing to stop it, but the minor parties are more likely to want a coalition than a role in a minority administration).

Minority administrations are liable to collapse.  This can happen if the PM fails to get enough support to win a vote of confidence or get a "money bill" (ie a budget) through parliment.  If it looked like the minority administration wasn't working the Queen would disolve parliment and call an election. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) the Uk has never had a minority administration.  A coalition is a more likely solution to a hung parliment.

In deciding who is to form the next Government (to rule in her name) the Queen actually has some political power, although normally she is bound by rules and convention and will often act on the advice of the PM.