'Dossier of disgrace' exposes BA's bullying
BA has suspended or disciplined 38 crew members. One crew member on bed rest, in danger of losing her baby, was suspended by letter. Another crew member unable to come to a disciplinary hearing because she was caring for a seriously ill child was instructed to bring the child with her. Some crew members are on anti-depressants with one female crew member being admitted to an urgent treatment centre because of the deterioration of her mental health.
British Airways has suspended crew members including trade union representatives for:
- receiving and forwarding e-mails from their private accounts
- discussions on union member only forums
- holding private conversations
- making a joke
- expressing dismay regarding a graffiti board set up by BA management where staff were encouraged to scribble words of support for the company, on which was written "cabin crew scum."
Unite, assistant general secretary, Len McCluskey, said: "Cabin crew under the management of Willie Walsh have been victims of a disgraceful witch-hunt. The bullying and harassment set out in our dossier shows the lengths BA will go to gag and intimidate cabin crew and destroy trade unionism."