Unite urges BA to step back from the brink
7th October 2009
Unite, the biggest union in aviation and the union for British
Airways cabin crew, has today (Wednesday) denounced the airline's
attempt to impose significant contractural changes on its 14,000
cabin crew employees, and introduce a second tier workforce on
poorer pay and conditions. BA has told cabin crew that they
must accept these impositions by November 16th or leave the
company.
Unite has said that the airline must remove the imposed changes
and resume talks or risk a serious, drawn out confrontation with
its workforce. A fuller statement on Unite's next steps will be
issued later this week.
Steve Turner, Unite national officer for aviation, said: "This
imposition is completely unacceptable. It is a disgraceful
attempt to intimidate workers into accepting poorer
contracts. This imposition must be withdrawn. BA must
step back from the brink and get back round the table to talk.
"In three days of talks last week at Acas, BA categorically
refused to talk about these plans. They conducted themselves
in bad faith then and are doing so again now. BA must be under no
illusion; Unite will vigorously defend BA's loyal staff and its
customer base and will not see standards driven into the ground by
this management team.
"BA's continued determination to mimic the no-frills end of the
industry will cause despair for customers who pay a premium price
and expect a premium service in return. Cabin crew are the
heart and soul of that premium service and are dearly valued by the
customers for the professionalism and dedication, yet now they are
being presented with an impossible choice - cut the service and do
more for less, or lose your job."
Brian Boyd, Unite national officer added: "BA's ultimatum puts
our members' jobs and livelihoods under serious attack, and further
damages the reputation of our national carrier.
"Unite and its cabin crew members have said all along that we
wanted to negotiate a shared solution to the short-term financial
problems facing BA. Earlier this year, Unite tabled changes
amounting to £140 million in savings for the business. These
could have been banked months ago, putting cash into the business
while retaining the airline's integrity and sustaining good
industrial relations.
"These were dismissed out of hand by BA's management and now it
is clear why. Sadly, the company is not interested in compromise,
preferring conflict with its workforce."
Unite believes the new contractural changes are an attempt to
force staff to pay the price for management failings with the
company wringing more and more out of fewer and fewer staff who
will be paid less. Working hours will be extended, crew
levels will be slashed, career opportunities will disappear and new
starters will be brought in on bargain basement wages. Unite
says this will inevitably damage customer service and hit the
brand, possibly leaving it beyond repair.
ENDS
For further information, please call Pauline Doyle on 07976 832
861
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