Union issues ballot papers to BA crew
Union issues ballot papers to 12,000 BA cabin crew following job cuts
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Monday, 16, Nov 2009 09:31
By Sarah Garrod.
British Airways (BA) staff will be receiving strike ballot papers from Unite, the union has confirmed this morning.
The action has been taken following the airline's announcement it would be cutting cabin crew on long-haul flights from 15 to 14.
Some 12,000 cabin crew at BA will receive the ballot papers, with the result on December 14th, the same day as the next mass meeting of the cabin crew. Unite has also sought an injunction against BA, to have a block put on the proposed changes.
Unite said in a statement that the papers had been issued because the airline's changes were "unworkable" and also contractual, making them subject to negotiation, and therefore not imposed.
It added there were concerns over whether the loss of crew would cause too much stress for remaining staff members.
Brian Boyd, Unite national officer for aviation, said: "The way to deliver change is through negotiation, not imposition. Of course the cabin crew are angry; they care passionately about this business but feel they are not being listened to on serious matters of service delivery.
"This business is all about its customers and the crew do not want them to suffer as a result of these changes.
"We ask British Airways to signal that it is willing to abandon its plans to impose change and work with us on a way forward, one which delivers for passengers, shareholders and the workforce. Then we could begin to tackle the roots of this damaging dispute and find a way forward."
BA plans to lose a total of 4,900 positions by March 2010, partly due to cost cutting measures following huge losses earlier this year.
Last week, the airline announced that it had reached a preliminary agreement to merge with Spanish airline Iberia.
Speaking about Unite's fight to gain an injunction against the airline, Steve Turner, national officer for aviation, added: "Crews being forced to work under protest retain their legal rights to pursue a reversal of the imposition, as well as significant compensation, and Unite continues to fight their case in the High Court. In the meantime our ballot for industrial action continues and will close as planned on December 14th.
"Unite is so concerned about the impact of these cuts on both crew and paying customers, that we have instructed employment specialists to establish an independent system to monitor their impact over the coming period."