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BALPA: Pilot's comment on BA cabin crew strike

Direct News Source

14-Dec-2009 Pilots in British Airways said today that they hoped for a resolution of the dispute between the airline and its cabin crew 'even at this, the eleventh hour.'

Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) commented:

'BA's cabin crew have voted to strike but there can still be a resolution of this conflict even at this, the eleventh hour. The last thing we want to see is the travelling public inconvenienced and BA's long term future damaged .

'This dispute is not ours of course. We realised at the start of 2009 that the airline is facing an extreme financial challenge due to the global downturn and today's pension deficit announcement drives that message home. We negotiated a contribution which BA pilots will make to help get the airline through these difficult days and this was overwhelmingly backed by members. That has meant pilots making changes in working practices and taking cuts in pay and allowances that will provide a permanent saving of £26 million a year in return for a share of the upside when things improve.