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British Airways Cabin crew closer to striking

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  • British Airways Cabin crew closer to striking

    Well BA's cabin crew finally looks like its getting closer to strike. Ever since Willie Walsh's cutbacks in his "fight for survival" campaign this summer, BA's flight attendants have been hit pretty hard. 1,000 flight attendants left voluntarily and another 3,000 have been transferred to part time positions. BA Cabin Crew have seen their food benefits slashed, and their salary cut. BA has lost nearly $653 million this year and has cut back on several parts and is trying to streamline their operation.

    Looks like a strike is pretty much inevitable. What are your guys' thoughts?

    Regards,

    Rohan


    Here's the article:

    Airline Wants Two Year Wage Freeze, Other Changes Unite, the union which represents most of the 14,000 British Airways cabin crew workers, says negot| Published: Sun, Nov 08, 2009 | Aero-News Network


    BA Cabin Crews Eye Strike Option

    Sun, 08 Nov '09
    Airline Wants Two Year Wage Freeze, Other Changes

    Unite, the union which represents most of the 14,000 British Airways cabin crew workers, says negotiations with the airline have stalled, and that it is mulling the possibility of a strike.
    The union leadership met Monday at Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey to discuss a possible labor action.
    Air Travel, Travel Management reports that Unite's joint general secretary Derek Simpson, said: "BA management's determination to impose unacceptable contractual changes on cabin crew leaves us no alternative."
    Unite also said it plans legal action against the airline over the imposition of new contracts and changes in crew levels for aircraft.
    The airline posted a $653 million loss for last year. It has been in negotiations with Unite and another union, GMB, proposing to make some 1,700 staff positions redundant. The airline wants a two year wage freeze, and a cut in long-haul cabin crew from 15 to 14. The airline said about 1,000 flight attendants chose to leave the company voluntarily, and another 3,000 chose to work part time.
    BA said in a statement: "We have put together a package of changes, which despite the unprecedented financial circumstances facing the company, not only protects current cabin crew but also offers many new benefits. We have made it clear that there will be no change to the individual terms and conditions of our current crew. They will not take a pay cut. In fact some 75% of crew will receive a pay scale increase worth between two and seven per cent this year and again next year."
    Unite said the changes would involve significant contractual changes for remaining employees and introduce "a second tier workforce on poorer pay and conditions". BA says it's proposed wages and benefits for new hires is above the market rate.
    The High Court hearing on the lawsuit is set for Thursday, November 5th. No official strike ballot has been opened by the Union.

  • #2
    Strikes in bad economic times always work real well. (Please note the sarcasm)

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    • #3
      Originally posted by B757300 View Post
      Strikes in bad economic times always work real well. (Please note the sarcasm)
      [Sarcasm on]Completely disagree, I mean, the airline is alread losing millions, so lets screw them out of making some money and make them pay us more. And cost them millions at the same time, It works real well. [Sarcasm off]

      That being said, sometimes i think people are just stupid, you could have a job, or not have a job, the airlines survival is pretty essential to them having jobs.
      Sam Rudge
      A 5D3, some Canon lenses, the Sigma L and a flash

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      • #4
        I do think that they (cabin crew) will go on strike...

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        • #5
          they might as well...my friend flew r/t MIA-LHR recently and got the worst service ever. he had one question for me when he got back: i thought only US airlines treated their passengers like crap, now BA as well?

          Comment


          • #6
            It may not be the smartest strategy for the BA flight attendants to go on strike, but I think they will. Personally, Willie Walsh has made them the scapegoat of the recent failures, forcing large salary cuts, cutting nearly 2,500 full-time positions (1,000 became part-time), cutting their hotel and food benifits, etc.

            BA has never been super state of the art with most of their amenities. They have nice clean planes with decent PTVs, and a pretty good business and first class. One thing that pretty much stood out about BA was 70%-80% of the time their cabin crew would go out of their way for their customers.

            If that's not going to happen and I'm going to get a surly crew of flight attendants, I really don't see the point in flying BA. Hopefully, they'll get the issue resolved.

            Regards,

            Rohan

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