Union and BA both claim they are winning strike war
Union and BA both claim they are winning strike war
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Sunday, 21, Mar 2010 10:13
By Sarah Garrod.
The union Unite and British Airways (BA) are both claiming they are winning the battle over a cabin crew walkout.
The strike, which began yesterday, was sparked when the airline made job cuts, alongside a pay freeze and changes to working conditions.
BA said that 1,157 cabin crew crossed the picket line yesterday, ignoring the first of the three-day strikes, while Unite said that some 80 per cent of its 12,000 cabin crew members supported the work out.
As the strike enters its second day, both sides have said that they had the advantage yesterday. There have been reports that some union members sent malicious text messages to their colleagues, urging them not to cross the picket line, while Unite accused BA of using management bullying tactics.
The trade union claimed that yesterday's strike had grounded 250 BA planes, adding that the airline's flagship terminal five at Heathrow airport was "a ghost town as passengers stay away". However, the airline said the unions claims were "rubbish" and said terminal five was operating well.
The airline said in a statement yesterday: "Our contingency plans have worked very well today and we have been able to operate all of our planned flights from Heathrow and Gatwick and reinstated some of our longhaul services because more crew than expected have reported for work.
"Punctuality has been good with very few delays and our customers are telling us they are delighted that we have been able to get them to their destinations.
"At Heathrow, around 50 per cent of cabin crew have reported as normal with 99 per cent at Gatwick and we continue to offer the fullest support to our cabin crew who want to work as normal."
BA added that because more staff than expected had turned out, they have reinstated eight longhaul return services, six of which will operate today and Monday and a further 18 shorthaul services for today across Heathrow and Gatwick. The airline is urging passengers to check its website for updates before flying.
BA said it was confident of handling as many as 49,000 passengers on Sunday, which compares with a figure of around 75,000 for a normal weekend day in March. But the union tweeted last night: " Load factor on planes (passengers travelling) today is just 14% - usually 80% at least on weekend - http://tinyurl.com/yfox9xq"
Yesterday Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite, said: "Our challenge to Willie Walsh [BA chief executive] is that he needs to let his cabin crew speak publicly about the real cause of this dispute.
"Decent men and women are terrified about speaking out about this fight for their futures for fear of reprisals.
"Isn't Willie Walsh ashamed that his employees are having to speak with their backs to TV cameras and their voices distorted? That stewardesses are covering their faces going into meetings to avoid identification?
"This is not just bad industrial relations it's an offence against democracy. Willie Walsh should remember this is Britain not Burma."
On Friday, after talks between the union and the airline broke down, a spokesperson from Number 10 said: "The Prime Minister believes that this strike is in no-one's interest and will cause unacceptable inconvenience to passengers.
"He urges the strike be called off immediately.
"He also urges BA's management and workforce to get together without delay to resolve what is a dispute about jobs and wages."