Unite Christmas strike: British Airways statement
15-Dec-2009 British Airways is commencing legal action in an attempt to protect customers from the massive stress and disruption threatened by Unite's decision to call a 12-day strike from December 22.
The airline has today written to Unite, highlighting irregularities in the union's strike ballot, which the airline believes renders the ballot invalid.
The airline called on Unite to call off the industrial action by 2pm today. The union has not done so and British Airways is now seeking an injunction to prevent the strike going ahead.
Today's letter was the third sent to Unite, pointing out the balloting flaws, since last Friday. The union did not reply to the first two letters.
As a back-up to the legal action, British Airways managers have been establishing which cabin crew might wish to work normally during the strike period.
Willie Walsh, British Airways chief executive, said: "We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite.
"We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined.
"Unite was told about the problems with its ballot on Friday. Yet it cynically went ahead with an extreme, highly publicised threat to our customers and our business in the knowledge that it might not be able to carry it out.
"We remain available for talks with Unite at any time without preconditions."