It seems the suspension of the strike by British Airways Mixed Fleet crew was just that – with the Mixed Fleet crew due to walk out on strike on Tuesday 10th January through to Wednesday 11th January for 48 hours.
British Airways Airbus A319 taxing at Heathrow – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
The Mixed Fleet represented by Unite rejected a modified offer from British Airways 7-1
Mixed Fleet include members of staff who joined British Airways from 2010 onwards, and accounts for 15% of the cabin crew.
A revised timetable will be issued on the 6th January 2017. British Airways comment to the strike as
We are extremely disappointed that Unite has once again chosen to target our customers.
We are looking to ensure that all of our customers, with bookings on those two days, will travel to their destinations.
We will publish more details about our contingency plans on Friday 6 January 2017.
So, nothing about the actual staff, just the union and nothing about offers of pay conditions. Usual BA blasé there.
Unite’s national officer Oliver Richardson however is on the defensive, stating
“British Airways is needlessly provoking strike action by refusing to extend the mandate of the strike ballot and allow meaningful talks to take place.
“Instead of listening to why its ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew rejected the offer negotiated at Acas, British Airways has sought instead to try and bully a workforce of young men and women who are trying to eke out a living on poverty pay.
“Such game playing and a desire to seek confrontation is not only a great disservice to passengers, but shows an unwillingness by British Airways to engage in constructive industrial relations.
“Unite remains hopeful that a negotiated settlement which meets our members’ aspirations can be achieved and would urge British Airways to engage constructively in meaningful talks to address poverty pay.”
I did warn this has the potential to get sticky when this first came about in December. It’s looking a bit beyond sticky as the Unite and British Airways don’t even want talk to each other.
If you are booked to fly on these days, you’ll need to hold off contacting British Airways until the 6th when the changes are loaded.
For now – something has returned to British Airways travellers that has been absent for a while – uncertainty.
And uncertainty has a major effect to the bottom line.
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