Planned BA strike (May 2010)

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Whats the bet that they will now talk until this dispute is settled. Both sides have had their chance during the strike to look macho and say they had the upper hand over the other side in the dispute. I don't think another round of industrial action does anyone any favours.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From The Times:

^Serious progress^ in union talks with BA^» (British Airways - about)

British Airways will be spared a third round of strikes next week after the Unite union reported ^serious progress^ during talks over changes to working practices.

Tony Woodley, the joint leader of Unite, met a BA delegation at the weekend for the first face-to-face talks since seven strike days last month grounded hundreds of flights and cost the airline ^45 million.

Unite threatened a third walkout from April 14, but a source said that no new dates would be set with negotiations to continue over the coming days.

Mr Woodley said: ^I am pleased that some serious progress has been made over the issues which have divided us. However, there is more work to be done, and further discussions will take place with the company over the next few days. I reported to representatives of our cabin crew today and explained that it would be unnecessary to set further strike dates while these talks are continuing and making progress.^

The union insists that travel concessions withdrawn from striking cabin crew members must be reinstated as part of any deal.

It also says that BA must table an offer that is at least as good as the one withdrawn on March 12 when Unite announced strike dates.

[paul7575]

From The Times:

^Serious progress^ in union talks with BA^» (British Airways - about)
It also says that BA must table an offer that is at least as good as the one withdrawn on March 12 when Unite announced strike dates.

Does that basically mean that the strike has achieved nothing - assuming BA reinstate all the perks...

Paul

[inspector_blakey]

Potentially, yes!

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

BREAKING NEWS: BA^» (British Airways - about) cabin crew to strike from May 18-22, May 24-28, May 30-June 3 and June 5-9

[JayMac]

Here we go again! 

[Timmer]

just plane stupid.

[Chris from Nailsea]

More details, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

British Airways strike dates announced

The British Airways cabin crew union, Unite, has announced fresh strike dates in its long-running dispute with the airline.
Cabin crew will walk out for four separate five-day strikes in May and June.
The first strike will begin on 18 May, ending on 22 May, with the three further strikes beginning on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.
Unite members rejected a fresh deal for cabin crew earlier this month.
The union said 81% of the cabin crew it represents voted against BA^» (British Airways - about)'s offer last week, which sought to resolve the dispute over pay and working conditions.
Details of that deal were not given, but Unite said BA had failed to restore the travel perks it withdrew from staff involved in the previous strikes in March.
Those stoppages grounded hundreds of flights and cost BA an estimated ^45m.
The newly-announced strikes will see staff walk out for a total of 20 days, covering spring bank holiday and school half-term holidays.
In a statement, Unite's joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley blamed BA for forcing cabin crew to again resort to industrial action.
"There can be no industrial peace without meaningful negotiations and while management victimises trade unionists and uses disciplinary procedures in a witch-hunt," they said, claiming that a Unite approach made over the weekend had been rejected.
"The seven days' notice period is sufficient time for BA management to do the sensible thing and reopen meaningful negotiations," they added.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

BA^» (British Airways - about) strike: Acas makes formal talks invite to both sides

The Acas conciliation service has made a public offer to both sides in the cabin crew dispute at British Airways.
It is concerned about the length of the current dispute between the company and the Unite union and its effect on the travelling public.
It says that it believes a formal invitation to talks is necessary and that "such discussions must take place urgently".
The venue and timing have yet to be arranged.
Both BA and the Unite union said they were prepared to hold talks.
BA says it would "respond positively" to the invitation. It added it had always said it was available for discussions.
A Unite spokesperson said: "We are ready to meet with BA under any auspices to try to find a solution."
Earlier, the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) appealed to the government to help bring about fresh talks. It said it had written to the Transport Secretary Philip Hammond and the Business Secretary Vince Cable, warning that a wave of strikes from next week would risk jobs.
Mr Hammond has urged them to "hammer out a solution".
Cabin crew will walk out for four separate five-day strikes in May and June.
The first strike is scheduled to begin on 18 May, ending on 22 May, with the three further strikes beginning on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.
Unite members rejected a fresh deal for cabin crew earlier this month.
Balpa said ministers should work to bring BA boss Willie Walsh and Unite leader Tony Woodley together in a bid to get next week's strikes suspended.
"The last three days have changed the face of British politics with erstwhile political opponents coming together for the common good," said Balpa general secretary Jim McAuslan. "We call on Government to use that political momentum to help solve what are tired 1970s-style industrial relations. Without some of that Cameron/Clegg magic, this dispute will put the future of a great airline at risk and disrupt the lives of thousands of British families."
Mr Hammond told the BBC that BA risked being weakened as an airline. "My call to both the unions and the management today is for people to get back to work," he said. "Let's cancel this strike, let's sit down around the table and hammer out a solution in the interests of passengers, in the interests of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) economy...and if I may say so, in the long-term interests of the workers involved in this dispute."
The Unite union said there was a turnout of 71% of the cabin crew it represents, and 81% voted against BA's offer last week, which sought to resolve the dispute over pay and working conditions. Details of that deal were not given, but Unite said BA had failed to restore the travel perks it withdrew from staff involved in the previous strikes in March. Those stoppages grounded hundreds of flights and cost BA an estimated ^45m.
The newly-announced strikes will see staff walk out for a total of 20 days, covering spring bank holiday and school half-term holidays.
Football fans planning to fly out to the World Cup in South Africa could also be affected, with the last of the five-day stoppages beginning on the first weekend of the tournament.
However England's first game against the United States kicks off on 12 June, after the final strike has ended.
BA has defended its approach to the latest negotiations saying it had made a fair offer and that the decision to strike showed "a callous disregard" for BA customers and staff.
All flights from Gatwick and London City airports are expected to operate as normal, BA said, while a "substantial" number of long-haul flights from Heathrow will run as planned.
There will be daily flights from Heathrow to all short-haul destinations, BA said, but did not give any numbers.
As with the strikes in March, the airline is also planning to lease extra aircraft from other carriers and re-book passengers on cancelled flights onto other airlines.

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

BA^» (British Airways - about) plans legal action to stop latest strike

BA is planning to take legal action to stop the latest strike by its cabin crew, the company said.

The action comes despite recent pressure for talks from both the conciliation service Acas and the pilots' union, Balpa.

BA will seek an injunction in the High Court on Monday, just 24 hours before the first of four five-day walkouts is due to be held.

Earlier on Friday, Acas made a public offer to both sides to hold talks.

BA said in a statement: "The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 requires unions to send everyone eligible to vote details of the exact breakdown of the ballot result."

It went on: "We do not believe Unite properly complied with this requirement. We wrote to the general secretaries of the union yesterday asking them to explain to us how they discharged this obligation and, based on Unite's replies, we believe that they failed to comply with the legal requirement."

[JayMac]

Willie Walsh is surely gonna run out of loopholes soon!!!!!

[John R]

Maybe, but you would have thought the Union would have had legal advisors making sure that BA^» (British Airways - about) didn't have the loopholes to exploit.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Minister to seek end to BA^» (British Airways - about) dispute

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond is to meet both sides in the British Airways dispute to urge them to resume talks to prevent cabin crew strikes.
Mr Hammond will speak to leaders of the Unite union and BA executives on Monday, hours before the first of four five-day walkouts are due to start.
BA says it plans legal action on Monday to stop the latest strike, claiming Unite failed to comply with the law.
Unite says the strike - over jobs, pay and staffing - was legally balloted.
The High Court action comes despite pressure for talks from both the conciliation service Acas and the pilots' union, Balpa. BA and Unite have said they are prepared to meet.
A Department for Transport spokesman said Mr Hammond would meet both sides separately to urge a settlement.
Mr Hammond, whose Runnymede and Weybridge constituency is close to Heathrow airport, described the strike as "extremely bad news" for BA, its passengers and employees. "I understand how difficult it can be when people's jobs have to change, but a prolonged series of strikes will weaken the company and put those jobs at risk," he said. "Aviation is a challenging market and BA must remain competitive, so this strike will ultimately be self-defeating. I urge both parties to resolve their dispute to avoid disruption to passengers and safeguard the future of British Airways."
Cabin crew are due to walk out for four separate five-day strikes in May and June.
The first is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, ending on 22 May, with the three further strikes beginning on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.
BA has urged its staff to volunteer to work during the strike.
The airline will seek a High Court injunction to stop the strikes on Monday, on the grounds that unions are required by law to send everyone eligible to vote details of the exact breakdown of the ballot result.
"We wrote to the general secretaries of the union yesterday asking them to explain to us how they discharged this obligation and, based on Unite's replies, we believe that they failed to comply with the legal requirement," it said in a statement.
BA is using as an example Network Rail's successful legal challenge against maintenance and signal workers, when the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union was found to have balloted staff in signal boxes that had closed.
A Unite spokesman said it would "vigorously defend" the ballot. "We have already responded to the company, and notified them that we have fully complied with the law. The only way to settle this long-running dispute is through negotiation. A solution is not to be found in the courtroom," he said.
BA took legal action to halt a planned 12-day strike over Christmas.
Meanwhile, Balpa has written to both Mr Hammond and Business Secretary Vince Cable to warn that a wave of strikes from next week would risk jobs.
Its general secretary Jim McAuslan described the dispute as "tired 1970s-style industrial relations".
Referring to the new coalition government, he said: "Without some of that Cameron/Clegg magic, this dispute will put the future of a great airline at risk and disrupt the lives of thousands of British families."
The two sides have been in dispute for over a year over cost-cutting plans, including staff reductions on flights.
Unite held seven days of action in March and recently ran an online ballot of its members which resulted in rejection of an offer by BA aimed at resolving the dispute.
The union recommended rejection of the deal because BA had not fully restored travel concessions taken away from those who went on strike in March, and because dozens of staff have been suspended.
Unite has said there was a turnout of 71% of the cabin crew it represents, and 81% voted against BA's offer, details of which have not been revealed.
March's stoppages grounded hundreds of flights and cost BA an estimated ^45m.
BA has defended its approach to the latest negotiations, saying it had made a fair offer and that the decision to strike showed "a callous disregard" for BA customers and staff.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

BA^» (British Airways - about) and union to start talks in bid to avert strikes

Talks between British Airways and union leaders are due to take place on Monday in a bid to avert a series of strikes by cabin crew.
It comes after BA announced it would take legal action on the same day to try to stop the latest strikes, arguing Unite had failed to comply with law.
Unite says the strike - over jobs, pay and staffing - was legally balloted.
However, the union says it will consider cancelling the first strike if volcanic ash shuts UK^▸ (United Kingdom) airspace again.
The Department of Transport has warned of more disruption from Sunday because of ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland.
Some of the UK's busiest airports in south-east England could be affected until Tuesday, when the first strike is due to begin.
Tony Woodley, the joint general secretary of Unite, told the BBC he would "seriously consider" calling it off.
"You would have to be stupid to want to ground planes that are going nowhere anyway," he said.
Cabin crew are due to walk out for four separate five-day strikes in May and June.
The first is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, ending on 22 May, with the three further strikes beginning on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.

[Timmer]

of course they will call the strike off if UK^▸ (United Kingdom) airspace is closed meaning the cabin crew get paid.