As talks between union officials and British Airways continue, the threat of cabin crew strike seems more and more likely. The BA cabin crew are threatening a strike after reports of poor conditions and salary.
British Airways cabin crew voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike recently with over 80% of those asked in favour of the strike. Over 11,691 people were asked and 7,482 voted in favour of the strike. Although the support of the strike was still strong it was less strong than the first round of voting. The first vote received 92% in favour of the strike.
British Airways have recently announced a pre tax loss of £50 million. For most companies who are struggling with financial issues, it is expected for them to make pay cuts, and staff cuts through out the business.
However the cabin crew state that this has seriously effected their working conditions. On long haul flights there has been a cut from 15 members working on board a flight to 14. This, along with a 2 year pay freeze, has affected BA’s workers.
The first strike threat was ruled out by the courts, with a judge saying “BA was within their rights to make changes to save money” and the “less than extreme changes” including cutting pay and reducing staff on long haul flights were not unreasonable. However the union then claimed that they were not consulted properly, and stood back to look at the case a bit closer.
However there is now a second threat of a strike. The Unions have once again gathered to take action against BA. Currently negotiations are happening, and some progress has been reported. BA state that they are doing everything they can to protect its customers travel plans, even threatening to take the travel perks of those who do strike.
Union officials have stepped back from announcing a date of action, as was originally planned. Instead they have entered into more negotiations with BA over crew cuts and working arrangements. A union spokesman said that “Only negotiation, not intimidation or litigation can keep BA flying.”
Do you think the cabin crew are within their rights to strike? Or is this an unnecessary complication? Have your say.
About Tessa Biddulph
Other articles by Tessa Biddulph
Tessa Biddulph works in the marketing department and is new to Bales Worldwide. She is spending a year at Bales Worldwide before heading back to university to complete a PR degree. Tessa’s favourite destination she has travelled to is Sydney, Australia, but since working at Bales she has already drawn up a long list of places she’d like to visit (number 1 being Machu Picchu, in Peru). 
I’m glad the union representative realises that “Only negotiation, not intimidation or litigation can keep BA flying”, because intimidation is exactly what the union is trying to do with their strike threat!
The words ‘kettle’, ‘pot’ and ‘black’ come to mind.
What with this Strike threat, and the reputation BA still has for sending luggage to a different destination to the passenger, if they even send the luggage in the first place, I would not fly anywhere if it meant flying BA!
I have every sympathy for BA cabin crew, but BA does have to work in a very competitive market, and several airlines have failed as we know. As long as the staff are being treated reasonably and fairly, I don’t believe a strike can be justified. Better to take pay cuts than job cuts – as long as the pain is shared by top executives down of course.
I believe that a strike represents defeat to both the sides; to the employer and to the employee but I also do not believe it is right to take away rights an employer has agreed to through previous negotiations when both sides have come to a legal agreement.
How many managers are willing to take a real cut in their wages and working conditions yet that is what is being expected of employees in this case.
Everyone hides behind the need for the company to cut costs but this always seems to mean cutting the employees’ wages but I am still to see managers and directors of the same company taking a similar change in contractual working practices.
BA staff are overpaid compared with other airlines . End of storey !