Could an end to the long-running dispute be in sight?
By S Hunt, 28th June 2010
Unite has offered to postpone its planned strike ballot of
British Airways cabin crew so that they can consider the airline's
latest offer.
The union had originally stated that it would begin balloting
its members on Tuesday, until this decision was made to allow its
members to consider a revised offer from BA.
Tony Woodley, Joint General Secretary of Unite, said that he
would not be recommending the offer, but conceded that that it was
"interesting".
The new offer from BA features top-up payments and guaranteed
rises in basic salary from 2011, but the sticking point appears to
be travel perks, which are conspicuous in their absence from the
offer. Woodley claims they "prevent this offer from BA being
the breakthrough everyone seeks".
Further bullish statements from Woodley would appear to make an
acceptance of this offer, and an end to the dispute, unlikely. He
has accused BA of trying to beat the union into submission, and
called their refusal to yield over travel perks "vindictive".
BA withdrew these perks - allowing cabin crew to travel for a
discount - from striking workers, and now these workers are calling
for them to be reinstated. The ballot planned for Tuesday was in
reaction to how BA handled an original strike over reductions in
the number of cabin crew working on long-haul flights from
Heathrow.
Despite Woodley appearing to pour cold water over the offer, BA
has welcomed the move from Unite and sees their offer as "a genuine
opportunity to end this dispute". However, if the deal is not
accepted it spells more frustration for air travellers as the
dispute may drag on until September or October.
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