Union calls off BA cabin crew Easter strikes
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Wednesday, 20, Jan 2010 12:56
By Sarah Garrod.
The union behind the threatened strike action of British Airways (BA) cabin crew has today said it will not take place over Easter as planned.
Unite had planned to ballot 12,000 BA staff for strike action over the April holiday after disputes with the airline over pay and conditions failed to reach an agreement.
But the union announced today that while the ballot will still open on January 25th and conclude on February 22nd, there will be no strike over Easter.
Len McCluskey, the Unite assistant general secretary leading negotiations with the company, said: "It was never the intention of Unite and its BA cabin crew membership to call industrial action over Easter.
"I want to make it abundantly clear that, if industrial action receives the required mandate from the members and strike action is made necessary by continuing management intransigence, we will not call such action over the Easter holiday period. We are making this announcement now so families can plan their travel arrangements in confidence.
"It remains our hope that this dispute can be resolved through negotiation, without the need for strikes at any time at all. But this can only happen is BA management wake up and realise that treating their greatest asset - skilled and professional employees - as enemies is the road to ruin. You can't fly planes on management machismo."
Walkouts were due to take place from December 22nd 2009 for 12 days, prompted after the airline made job cuts and froze pay. But on December 17th the high court ruled strike action by union members of BA's cabin crew was in breach of the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations Act due to former BA employees being able to cast ballots.