BA cargo workers vote overwhelmingly for action
Cargo workers at British Airways (BA) have voted almost unanimously in favour of industrial action in the continuing dispute over the company’s plans to “fire and rehire” its workforce on vastly inferior terms and conditions. Unite says it will now delay immediately announcing strike dates, in order to give BA a final opportunity to agree changes with its workers.
Unite says that the new contracts being pushed onto the cargo workers would mean pay cuts of 20 to 25%. It has reached agreement with BA in the other sections of the company where it represents workers but has been unable to do so for the cargo workers due to what it describes as the continued intransigence of management.
Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: “[BA CEO] Shaun Doyle needs to withdraw the threats of firing and rehiring its cargo workers and hammer out a fair deal for this loyal workforce.
“If British Airways fails to grasp this opportunity for peace then Unite will swiftly move to strike action which will cause huge unnecessary disruption to British Airways cargo deliveries.”