This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/6285701.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Talks seek to resolve BA strike | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A fresh round of talks is expected in efforts to avert a three-day strike by British Airways cabin crew. | A fresh round of talks is expected in efforts to avert a three-day strike by British Airways cabin crew. |
| The T&G union announced on Sunday a strike for 29 to 31 January over sickness, pay and staffing issues. | The T&G union announced on Sunday a strike for 29 to 31 January over sickness, pay and staffing issues. |
| It said agreement was still possible but warned of two further three-day stoppages in February if the dispute was not resolved. | It said agreement was still possible but warned of two further three-day stoppages in February if the dispute was not resolved. |
| BA said the strike was "totally unjustifiable" and it would affect hundreds of thousands of passengers. | BA said the strike was "totally unjustifiable" and it would affect hundreds of thousands of passengers. |
| The T&G said the next 48 to 72 hours would be crucial if there was to be any possibility of preventing the first strike. | The T&G said the next 48 to 72 hours would be crucial if there was to be any possibility of preventing the first strike. |
| The union's deputy general secretary Jack Dromey, who is leading its negotiating team, said there was a raft of problems to be settled. | The union's deputy general secretary Jack Dromey, who is leading its negotiating team, said there was a raft of problems to be settled. |
| 'Chaos' | |
| Cabin crew have complained that a new regime on sickness pay, introduced 18 months ago, means they are forced to work when they are ill. Another issue is starter pay rates for crew members. | Cabin crew have complained that a new regime on sickness pay, introduced 18 months ago, means they are forced to work when they are ill. Another issue is starter pay rates for crew members. |
| BA insisted it was merely cutting high levels of sickness absence. The average of 22 days had been reduced to 12 but this was still above the UK average of seven per worker per year, it said. | BA insisted it was merely cutting high levels of sickness absence. The average of 22 days had been reduced to 12 but this was still above the UK average of seven per worker per year, it said. |
| BA STRIKE Strike announced for 29-31 JanuarySecond three-day strike possible for 5-7 FebruaryThird three-day strike possible for 12-14 FebruaryBA will let passengers booked on flights during 29 January -16 February change their dates of travel class="" href="/1/hi/business/6285881.stm">Q&A: How the strike affects you | |
| The union held several meetings with BA bosses last week following a 96% vote for industrial action by the 11,000 cabin crew workers. | The union held several meetings with BA bosses last week following a 96% vote for industrial action by the 11,000 cabin crew workers. |
| Mr Dromey said British Airways management had "completely failed to engage" with the union, which said it was ready to resume talks at any time. | Mr Dromey said British Airways management had "completely failed to engage" with the union, which said it was ready to resume talks at any time. |
| "What you need in any modern employer in the 21st century is a joint approach towards sickness absence where you combine preventing abuse on the one hand and fairness on the other," Mr Dromey told the BBC. | |
| "The simple reality in BA is that workers who are sick come to work because they fear the consequences and that cannot be right." | |
| BA said it had made "serious proposals" to change the way the sickness policy was applied. | |
| And it said the union was now demanding a "significant" pay rise, whereas it needed to remain competitive. | And it said the union was now demanding a "significant" pay rise, whereas it needed to remain competitive. |
| Chief executive Willie Walsh said the strike would cause "chaos" for hundreds of thousands of customers. | Chief executive Willie Walsh said the strike would cause "chaos" for hundreds of thousands of customers. |
| It would also cause further damage to the airline, which has been hit in recent months by security and weather problems. | It would also cause further damage to the airline, which has been hit in recent months by security and weather problems. |
| The airline said it would let people booked to fly between 29 January and 16 February change the date of their trip. | The airline said it would let people booked to fly between 29 January and 16 February change the date of their trip. |