John
11-29-2010, 05:30 PM
British Airways cabin crew will be balloted on further strike action over their ongoing dispute with the company, Unite has announced.
Len McCluskey, who is due to become the head of Unite in the New Year, said he expected there would "be an overwhelming yes vote in favour of further industrial action".
The union represents 11,000 British Airways workers and have been in disagreement with the airline for a year over changes to staff conditions at the company.
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of the union, said: "BA's continued hounding of union members leaves us no other option but to conduct a new industrial action ballot.
"BA told us it was a business in crisis. They demanded structural change.
"These changes have been made and this business is now in profit with senior management filling their wallets with the spoils."
The union listed four specific issues which it wants to see fulfilled before the threat of strike is removed.
These include restoration of staff travel concessions and restoration of wages for staff who were genuinely off sick during previous strikes.
In response, BA released a statement saying: "Unite has broken this promise and instead has now chosen to create fresh uncertainty for customers and damage the interests of thousands of its own members within British Airways."
Unite did confirm the industrial action will not take place throughout Christmas.
Meanwhile, BA and Iberia announced that their shareholders have approved a £5bn merger between the two airlines.
The joint company will have more than 400 aircraft carrying almost 60 million passengers to more than 520 destinations across the globe.
The newly merged airline will have 57,000 members of staff in total.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh said the deal will ensure they can compete effectively with low-cost carriers.
Source - Yahoo News.
Len McCluskey, who is due to become the head of Unite in the New Year, said he expected there would "be an overwhelming yes vote in favour of further industrial action".
The union represents 11,000 British Airways workers and have been in disagreement with the airline for a year over changes to staff conditions at the company.
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of the union, said: "BA's continued hounding of union members leaves us no other option but to conduct a new industrial action ballot.
"BA told us it was a business in crisis. They demanded structural change.
"These changes have been made and this business is now in profit with senior management filling their wallets with the spoils."
The union listed four specific issues which it wants to see fulfilled before the threat of strike is removed.
These include restoration of staff travel concessions and restoration of wages for staff who were genuinely off sick during previous strikes.
In response, BA released a statement saying: "Unite has broken this promise and instead has now chosen to create fresh uncertainty for customers and damage the interests of thousands of its own members within British Airways."
Unite did confirm the industrial action will not take place throughout Christmas.
Meanwhile, BA and Iberia announced that their shareholders have approved a £5bn merger between the two airlines.
The joint company will have more than 400 aircraft carrying almost 60 million passengers to more than 520 destinations across the globe.
The newly merged airline will have 57,000 members of staff in total.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh said the deal will ensure they can compete effectively with low-cost carriers.
Source - Yahoo News.