Genuine talks plea

Unite has warned British Airways against making misleading statements while talks at the conciliation service Acas were ongoing today (Monday December 19).

The warning came after the airline and Unite agreed to an embargo on comments as talks aimed at resolving the ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew dispute got underway at Acas this morning.

Despite the agreement at the beginning of the talks, the airline issued a statement quoting misleading pay figures.

“It is deeply disappointing that British Airways has put out misleading commentary to the media and broken an agreed embargo on comments while negotiations are ongoing,” commented Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.

“Unite is focused on trying to achieve a negotiated outcome for our members many of whom are young men and woman who have been under paid for years. Unite has consistently raised the issue of ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew pay over a number of months, yet British Airways has refused to listen.

“The wages British Airways quote are misleading, new entrants to ‘mixed fleet’ are paid a basic of £12,192 per annum. The food allowance that pilots receive is 15 per cent more than that of the young women and men who make up ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew.

“Our young members deserve credit for standing up for themselves against a corporate giant such as British Airways in their fight for a living wage. They are entitled to have aspirations and entitled to have a decent standard of living.”

He added, “We implore British Airways to drop its aggressive stance, to stop with the misleading commentary and genuinely negotiate. That is the only way to reach a resolution to this dispute.”