Striking BA cabin crew will lose perks

01/22/2010 (19 h 59 m ago)

• BA says failed Christmas strike cost airline 'millions of pounds' • Poll of cabin crew shows strong support for industrial action British Airways has warned cabin crew that they will be stripped of travel benefits if they take part in a strike over staffing cuts. BA said that any employee who joined the walkout would no longer receive discounted or free fares. Many French and Spanish cabin crew rely on the BA travel scheme to commute to the airline's Gatwick and Heathrow bases and would be left out of pocket by the move, according to trade union sources. The Unite trade union, which is locked in an increasingly bitter dispute with BA, described the move as "shocking" and "another act of provocation". A BA spokeswoman confirmed that the airline has written to its 13,400 cabin crew ahead of a strike ballot that opens on Monday to warn that taking industrial action would see participating staff lose travel and pay benefits. The airline added that Unite appeared set on a lengthy strike despite having a 12-day Christmas walkout ruled unlawful by the high court last month. "As a responsible employer and in view of Unite's apparent wish for a lengthy strike, we have written to crew individually today to set out the consequences of different ballot outcomes," she said. Increasing the pressure on employees, the BA executive in charge of cabin crew, Bill Francis, has admitted in a letter to cabin crew that the failed Christmas walkout has cost the airline "millions of pounds" in lost revenue as passengers booked elsewhere. "We cannot go on like this. In December we saw what our customers and the wider public thought about a strike. Their patience is running out. It is time to be absolutely clear about what will happen if a strike takes place." Francis added that the standard of hotel that staff use when abroad would be reviewed and warned that anyone who called in sick during the strike would be assumed to have joined the industrial action. "History tells us that absence rises significantly during industrial action." Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite, said the warning on staff travel perks was an act of "pettiness". He added: "Whoever dreamt up this scheme is presumably trying to inflame the situation. Managers who are macho generally aren't macho. More talking and less posturing will resolve this dispute." The ballot of Unite's cabin crew branch, BASSA, will close on 22 February and the earliest possible date for strike action will be 1 March. However, Unite said this week that it will not strike during Easter after the high court ruling referred to the ­timing and duration of the planned ­Christmas walkout. However, an ongoing poll of BASSA members indicates strong support for a strike lasting longer than 10 days if, as expected, the 12,000 cabin crew affiliated to the union vote for a walkout. British Airways Travel & leisure Trade unions Employee benefits Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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