"Where’s Willie?" – Unite urges BA boss to come out of
bunker
22 March 2010
Unite today (Monday) urged BA chief executive Willie Walsh to
come out of hiding and agree to talks to settle the cabin crew
dispute which has grounded most of the airline’s operation over the
last three days.
Unite Joint General Secretary, Tony Woodley visited picket lines
around Heathrow Airport today and addressed striking union members,
reaffirming that the union remained ready for talks at any time
before the next strikes, scheduled to run for four days from
Saturday March 27, commence.
However, the union has yet to receive any positive response from
the company. Mr Woodley said: “Willie Walsh’s silence is
deafening. Where’s Willie? He has not been seen or heard from
today while his business grinds to a halt.
“BA needs to wake up and understand that a dispute like this can
only be resolved through negotiations and agreement. Cabin
crew have sent the company the most powerful message over the last
three days that they will not be cowed or bullied into accepting
industrial dictat. I am proud of their solidarity and
resilience, and the support they have given to this dispute, which
none of them wanted.
“I would like to hear BA’s board justify spending millions on a
floundering strike-breaking operation when they turned down an
offer of more than £55 million in cost savings from their own cabin
crew.
“We estimate that BA may have spent as much as £18 million on
leasing airplanes over the last three days. And it is beyond
dispute that most of its long-haul flights have been cancelled, and
most of those which have taken off are half-empty or completely
passenger-free.
“This is the economics of the madhouse, which can only lead to
suspicions that there is another, union-busting, agenda at work
here. Trying to break Unite will break BA’s bank
account. That is why it is time to talk. Pick up the
phone, Willie.”
- Ends -
Email to a friend
