Training | 2010.03.19
British Airways strike talks continue at 11th hour
BA and Unite union working on deal to avert cabin crew walkout, though cancelled flights are unlikely to be reinstated
Talks aimed at stopping the British Airways strike are continuing on the eve of the three-day walkout by cabin crew.
The BA chief executive, Willie Walsh, and the joint general secretary of Unite, Tony Woodley, were locked in discussions until after midnight attempting to draw up a document that would lead to the union suspending tomorrow\'s action by thousands of workers.
They met again this morning, although it is understood any breakthrough will come too late to reinstate the weekend\'s cancelled flights. A second four-day strike is scheduled to begin on 27 March.
Observers say that if Woodley succeeds in ironing out the remaining differences with Walsh – believed to centre on disciplinary procedures against 38 BA staff and plans to put new cabin crew recruits on a separate fleet and on a different pay structure – then it is possible he could suspend the strikes.
However, that would lead to a tempestuous meeting at Sandown, where BA cabin crew are being briefed by Unite before tomorrow\'s planned strike, with Woodley\'s deputy, assistant general secretary Len McCluskey, due to attend.
McCluskey, who was the lead negotiator in talks until Woodley stepped in this week, has criticised BA over its conduct during talks .
Unite had been due to hold a photo opportunity at Sandown at 1pm today, but the union cancelled it this morning.
It is understood that the face-to-face talks over the planned BA cabin crew strike started badly on Thursday when Walsh submitted a new offer that was flatly rejected by Woodley. Walsh claimed that the threat of strike action had cost the national carrier £27m and led to the loss of 103,000 passengers.
But some of their differences appeared to have been surmounted by the evening, leaving a few outstanding issues to be settled.
Sources close to the discussions warned the talks were still "hanging by a thread".
BA has pledged to fly 65% of its passengers to their destinations by using a fleet of chartered jets and 1,000 volunteer cabin crew.
This morning the airline ran a full-page advert in several newspapers, insisting "BA is working hard to keep the flag flying," and saying the union\'s planned strike would not just hit the airline, but the country too.
"I believe that Unite has made the wrong decision and misjudged the mood of our times. During Unite\'s forthcoming strike, the majority of people who work for British Airways will be doing their utmost to minimise disruption to our customers," Walsh said. "We have a significant number of cabin crew who don\'t believe in the strike and will continue to work. They will be supported by countless volunteers from across our airline."
Problems remain for Walsh and Woodley even if they do hammer out an agreement. Representatives of Bassa and Cabin Crew 89, Unite\'s cabin crew arms, have warned that they may not recommend the compromise.
The earlier BA offer included a three-year pay deal and the partial repeal of staffing cuts that triggered the dispute.
Separately, train users will learn today whether the first national rail strike in 16 years is likely this Easter when the RMT union announces the result of a signallers\' ballot.
Maintenance workers at Network Rail have already voted in favour of a strike . If the signallers also decide on industrial action, trains would be halted across the country during one of the busiest periods of the year.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/[...]-airways-strike-talks-continue
