Global Airport News

The Unite union has begun balloting British Airways’ cabin crews over whether to strike over a long running industrial dispute with the airline’s management. This poll follows a ballot last Christmas that BA management alleged was illegal.

The current vote in the airline staff’s acrimonious dealings with management is the fourth in the last two years. The original cause of the disagreement was management cost saving measures, but is now centred around disciplinary action taken against strikers in previous industrial actions.

Staff who refused to work during previous strikes had their travel perks removed by the airline. Unite says these benefits should be restored and all individual issues that have arisen from actions should go to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS).

Unite also says it would like to see a review of how BA management deals with industrial relations with its employees. This may now be possible as the UK national airline’s new chief executive, Keith Williams, has written to cabin crew and said he wants a positive relationship with them and is believed to be less combative than predecessor Willie Walsh.

Mr Williams has written to cabin staff and stated that he would like to have a productive and positive relationship with them.

All three previous ballots resulted in BA management challenging them on technicalities but the union says it plans this time to observe the precise details of industrial law to avoid a further repeat challenge.

The ballot starts today and runs until 28 March, which raises the prospect of cabin crews striking over Easter. Sources close to Unite’s senior officials say there are no plans to strike in April and BA management says that it will operate flights as normal in the event of one.