{"id":33485,"date":"2017-07-01T06:29:42","date_gmt":"2017-07-01T06:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=33485"},"modified":"2017-07-01T06:29:42","modified_gmt":"2017-07-01T06:29:42","slug":"british-airways-cabin-crew-begin-two-week-strike-in-pay-dispute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/business\/british-airways-cabin-crew-begin-two-week-strike-in-pay-dispute.html","title":{"rendered":"British Airways cabin crew begin two-week strike in pay dispute"},"content":{"rendered":"

British Airways cabin crew begin two-week strike in pay dispute<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Some British Airways cabin crew began a two week strike on Saturday in a prolonged pay dispute, risking further brand damage and travel disruption, although the airline said most passengers would be able to fly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Members of BA’s “mixed fleet” cabin crew – those who work on both long and short-haul flights – have been in conflict with BA since last year over wage offers which the Unite trade union has described as “poverty pay”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the pay dispute has largely been resolved, Unite said the walkout, the longest industrial action in the row, is a response to sanctions on union members involved in previous industrial action.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the impact on flights is set to be limited, the stand-off is another potential threat to the airline’s image a little over a month after thousands of passengers were stranded by a computer systems outage caused by a power surge.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Customers will take a dim view and a great British brand risks being further tarnished. We call on British Airways to drop the threats and drop the sanctions and resolve this long-running dispute,” Unite national officer Oliver Richardson said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

British Airways warned of further consequences for those who went on strike, but said all customers would reach their destinations.<\/span><\/p>\n

A full schedule will run from Gatwick and London City, while a small number of Heathrow services will be merged, BA said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Solicitors Bott & Co said around 400,000 passengers could be affected over the 16-day strike period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Willie Walsh, CEO of BA’s parent company IAG, said on Thursday that he expected all passengers to fly, as BA had applied to use 9 Qatar Airways planes, with staff. That application was approved on Friday<\/span><\/p>\n

The mixed fleet crew first threatened to strike over Christmas of 2016. Although that was called off, there have been 26 days of strike action so far this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

The mixed fleet staff make up about a third of the BA’s total cabin crew of around 16,000, although not all members of the crew will take action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unite said that 1,400 mixed fleet members who had been on strike previously had seen bonus payments and travel concessions removed.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We have set out the consequences for crew if they take strike action,” British Airways said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The purposes of these consequences are to encourage crew to come to work.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-iag-britishairways-strike-idUSKBN19L2ZS<\/span><\/p>\n

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