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7-Jun-2010 12:16 PM

British Airways cabin crew launch third and last five-day strike

British Airways cabin crew launched their third and last five-day strike action on 05-Jun-2010 (Bloomberg/AFP/BBC News, 05-Jun-2010). However, further action may be launched in Jul-2010, with BA union Unite considering a new ballot if it is unable to reach an agreement with the airline. The action is expected to cost BA more than GBP150 million by 09-Jun-2010.

  • Schedule: The carrier continues to state a higher number of crew than expected are reporting to work, allowing it to operate additional services to Los Angeles, Washington, Mexico City and Phoenix on 05-Jun-2010.
  • Negotiations: The carrier and Unite stated no further talks are scheduled. BA CEO, Willie Walsh, is in Berlin to attend IATA's 66th annual meeting, while Unite Joint General Secretary, Tony Woodley is on holidays for the week (Mail Online, 06-Jun-2010). Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) and Trades Union Congress (TUC) have remained in contact with BA and Unite since their last talks on 01-Jun-2010 (The Guardian, 07-Jun-2010). Acas stated it expects a new date for talks to resume "shortly".
  • Pay: Unite, meanwhile, increased its strike pay for members from GBP30 to GBP45 per day and is considering GBP1,000 loans for hardship cases. The union again reiterated that if BA restores travel concessions to striking crew, it will suspend the strike.

Unite: "I have made it clear that as joint general secretary I am available any time day or night to meet with BA and Willie Walsh to attempt to resolve this dispute. BA is the real obstacle. We have made it absolutely clear that if BA re-instates our members' travel concessions we would suspend the strike action. This would cost the company nothing. Instead the company is willing to see its passengers' travel plans disrupted while the airline loses millions," Derek Simpson, Joint General Secretary. Source: The Guardian, 07-Jun-2010).

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