85 replies to this topic

[koykaeng]

Hopefully this doesn't happen, but thought it could impact on a few board members ?

Cheers
Koykaeng

BA cabin crew to strike over Xmas

British Airways cabin crew are poised to walk off the job for 12 days over the busy Christmas period in a dispute over job cuts.

More than 92 per cent of the 12,500 crew who took part in a ballot organised by Britain's biggest trade union Unite voted on Monday in favour of the strike, which will run from December 22 to January 2.

The action could leave hundreds of thousands of passengers around the world stranded unless the airline can come to some sort of agreement to resolve the dispute with union members.
"We will advise British Airways that the strike will begin with a 12-day strike starting from the 22nd of December," Unite's assistant general secretary Len McCluskey told reporters.

"We are hoping that the size of this vote will make the company think again - 92.5 per cent of their staff have said what is happening to them at the moment is wrong and they have called for the company to sit down and start treating them with more dignity and respect.
"We have taken this decision to disrupt passengers and customers over the Christmas period with a heavy heart."

McCluskey said the union hoped BA would return to the negotiating table to try and come up with a resolution to the dispute in the hope the strike could be avoided.
The airline's cabin crew are concerned about job losses and changes to their work practices, which British Airways insists are essential to its survival.

British Airways, which is merging with Spanish carrier Iberia, recorded a pre-tax loss of STG292 million ($A520.78 million) for the six months to the end of September.
BA said it had begun rejigging its Christmas flight schedules and contacting customers in response to news of the strike, which reportedly could affect one million passengers around the world.

"We are currently reworking our flight schedules for the strike period and aim to announce them as quickly as possible," the airline said in a statement on its website.
"Our intention is to inform affected customers directly if we have their email address or by SMS text if we have their mobile phone number."

McCluskey said the union understood BA passengers would be frustrated by the strike during what is the airline industry's busiest time of the year.
However, he said he hoped passengers would understand the anger of cabin crew at BA's decision to impose cost-cutting changes rather than introduce them after reaching agreement with the union.

"Our message to them (the passengers) is we would like them to be angry with the company," he said.
"It's somewhat of an irony that the very people who are responsible for the brand name of British Airways and have made British Airways the best airline in the world, the most respected airline in the world, are cabin crew who are now engaged in a dispute that will affect the very people that they service.

"So what people have to understand and it's extremely difficult, ... is we are not dealing with a group of militants.
"We are talking about dedicated men and women who perform a first-class job and are very proud of their company.

"They don't want to bring British Airways down but they have been forced into a corner by the company."
In a bid to cope with a downturn in passenger numbers during the global recession, BA recently announced a wide-ranging savings plan including 1,700 job cuts, a pay freeze for existing employees and lower wages for new staff.

McCluskey said the cost of a 12-day strike would be "enormous" for BA and to force staff into striking "doesn't make sense" for the struggling carrier.

"We are hoping, of course, all the time that a phone call will come and we will be able to resolve the issue," he said.

[petesie]

FB UK did warn us...................

[redrock]

What's the knock-on effect of this? Obviously BA customers are gonna have a shit time at Christmas but will it affect other carriers? I fucking hope not.

This could well be the end of BA.

[Ericthehalfabee]

Heathrow is going to be a fricking nightmare....

[donnykey]

it's ok for the director of ba to say the strike is wrong, the same guy who is probably on well over 250,000 a year.

I would say he would be on at least 10 times that (including perks)

[dixon cox]

Likely the guys booked on other airlines will be packed in tight as ALL the available seats get taken.
No bargains to be had anymore, all the other carriers will be making the most of it :|

Although I never fly with them, it could be the end of BA

[RobiSLO]

I just hope Frankfurt airport will be spared from BA strike consequences... But who knows...

BR

[petesie]

I just hope Frankfurt airport will be spared from BA strike consequences... But who knows...

BR

I've just been informed that Bahrain airport is now "dry"...................unless you are in the lounges............... 's

[RobiSLO]

I just hope Frankfurt airport will be spared from BA strike consequences... But who knows...

BR

I've just been informed that Bahrain airport is now "dry"...................unless you are in the lounges............... 's

On my way to BKK I don’t mind if I don’t get any decent thing to drink but… on my way back I’ll need all the alcohol I can get to get rid of my LOS blues. I’m doomed.

BR