‘Great resolve’

Unite called on British Airways to enter talks at the conciliation service Acas and reach an agreement to avoid further strikes next week in a dispute over poverty pay involving the airline’s mixed fleet cabin crew.

Today’s (February 10) call came as Unite members working for the national carrier’s mixed fleet announced they would be striking for four days from just past midnight on Friday, February 17 to 11.59pm on Monday, February 20.

It coincides with the penultimate day of a three-day strike which finishes tomorrow (February 11) and follows three days of strike action earlier this week which ran from Sunday 5 to Tuesday February 7.

Unite understands that yesterday British Airways issued a ‘gold command’, which usually is reserved for times of crisis, such as the 2010 ash cloud event. Meanwhile this week’s action along with two earlier stoppages has led to the cancellation of flights and the airline chartering, or ‘wet leasing’, aircraft from other airlines such as Titan Airways, Vueling and Thomson Airways to cover striking cabin crew.

“British Airways should focus on addressing poverty pay in its mixed fleet, rather than continuing to waste hundreds of thousands of pounds on chartering in aircraft to cover striking workers,” said Unite national officer Oliver Richardson.

“Despite the bully boy tactics, the threats and the sanctions, our members in British Airways mixed fleet have continued to show great resolve in their fight for better pay,” he added. “Mixed fleet cabin crew are the future of British Airways and deserve better.

“We would urge British Airways to join us at reconvened Acas talks and negotiate a settlement to avoid the cost and disruption of a further four days of strike action.”

Since 2010 all British Airways new cabin crew employees join what is called ‘mixed fleet’, where despite promises that pay would be 10 per cent above the market rate, basic pay starts at just £12,192 with £3 an hour flying pay. Unite estimates that on average ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew earn £16,000, including allowances, a year.