GMB sets air strike dates
The GMB union has said that its members will be taking industrial action over the August bank holiday weekend, unless British Airways offers them an improved pay deal.
Though the exact date has not been set, the union’s negotiating officer, Allan Black, said that his members would strike on either August 27th, 28th, 29th or 30th.
The strike would run for 24 hours from 04.30 GMT to 04.30 BST the following day, although the disruption caused would likely to affect the following day as well.
The August bank holiday weekend is normally one of the busiest weekends of the year in the UK’s airports.
Announcing the dates, Mr Blair said: “The GMB is preparing for war but hoping for peace. We have always wanted to achieve a fair settlement for GMB members through negotiations. British Airways has been dragging its heels since January and now we find ourselves in August without a resolution, and no pay deal for our low-paid members.
“The effect of strikes on the company and regretfully on the travelling public will be devastating. We have no interest in closing down British Airways and do not want to see the public inconvenienced. We are doing everything we possibly can to resolve this dispute.
“We have decided to deploy what I believe is a reasonable strategy to take the dispute forward. I will contact the other two unions tomorrow and put to them a proposal to settle pay for 2004 which we hope will take the matter forward. If the other unions are prepared to adopt this position it will be raised with the company as a way of resolving a dispute that would not be on the cards if BA had negotiated meaningfully for the past eight months.”
On Friday, the GMB announced that on a 48.6 per cent turnout, its members voted by 53 per cent for strike action against British Airways. After meeting over the weekend, the union’s executive decided to order strike action, though they indicated that they are still ready to talk to the BA management.
The union insists that the current pay offer from BA is unfair, and effectively constitutes a “stand still deal”. BA is offering an 8.5 per cent pay rise over three years but the union is reluctant to be tied into a three year pay deal. Mr Black said: “Our demands are not great. After all, our members’ pay is not great, by any stretch of boardroom imagination. £12,500 basic for check-in staff, many of them women balancing a stressful service job with caring commitments at home.
“It says something about Britain’s favourite airline that our paid members would have to work nearly 3 years to take home what the BA Chief Exec takes home in one month’s basic pay (not including the frills and extras such as £408,000 into his pension pot, and 350,318 share options).”
BA, however, claims that the offer is “fair and reasonable” given the challenges facing the airline industry. On Friday, Mike Street BA’s director of operations said: “We already have the highest employment costs of any airline in Europe and must act responsibly to protect the jobs and futures of all our staff.”
The result of the TGWU ballot on strike action against British Airways is due to be announced later this week. If that vote is in favour of action, then the possibility arises of co-ordinated action between the unions, which could effectively close the UK’s major airports.
