BAA workers vote to strike – first action on 7 January
21 December 2007
Workers at BAA’s seven airports across the UK
have voted for strike action to defend their final salary pension
scheme.
Results of the secret strike ballots by
employees of Spanish-owned BAA at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted,
Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen were announced today
at a news conference in London. BAA airport firefighters, security,
maintenance, administrative and clerical staff belonging to
Unite:the union and PCS are covered by the strike vote. A total of
1946 Unite members voted for strike action with 1108 voting
against.
Unite national aviation secretary Brendan Gold
said: “This is a two to one vote for strike action, which is a
powerful mandate and a strong message to BAA to think again and
reverse its decision to close the final salary pension scheme to
new members.”
Brendan Gold announced that the first 24-hour
strike action will be at all seven BAA airports from 6.00 a.m. on
January 7. A further 24-hour stoppage is scheduled for January 14,
with a 48-hour strike due to take place from 6.00 a.m. on January
17.
Brendan Gold said: “BAA has just posted
profits of over five hundred million pounds and the Spanish owners
Ferrovial have seen their profits rise by nearly sixty per cent. It
is clear that our members’ pension scheme is financially sound, and
should be left alone.
“However, after a series of fruitless meetings
with the company our members have been left with no option b ut to
resort to industrial action to defend their interests. BAA and
Ferrovial should understand that the workforce has lost trust in
them. Not allowing new employees to join the company’s final salary
pension scheme after December 1 was viewed as being the first step
in the axing of the whole scheme.
“The timing of this dispute was chosen by BAA
when it refused our request to defer its decision on the pension
scheme. However, our members are conscious of the importance of
family and other travel arrangements made by air passengers at this
time of year.
“Our quarrel is with BAA and Ferrovial, not
with airline passengers. So we have avoided taking industrial
action during the holiday period. But our members are determined
that the campaign on which we are now embarking will succeed in
protecting the future of the pension scheme.”
ENDS
For further information please contact the
Unite press office on 020 7611 2550
Unite was formed on 1st May 2007 through a
merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union
(T&G)
