British Airways strikes to go ahead on Christmas Day and Boxing Day
BRITISH Airways staff will strike on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in a row over pay and working conditions.
Up to 4,500 cabin crew staff, baggage handlers and check-in staff are planning to strike over the festive period - spelling chaos for travellers.
Workers on "mixed fleet" contracts who joined the airline since 2010 are planning industrial action as Unite union says they are paid less than other staff.
British Airways has branded the strike "calculated" and "completely unnecessary".
The airline has said all long-haul flights will proceed as normal, as well as flights out of Gatwick and City airports.
A contingency plan for Heathrow is being made and it is expected to be published in the next three days.
It comes after cabin crew staff who are members of Unite rejected a 2 per cent pay rise from the airline.
Around 1,200 members voted for the strike on Wednesday, which will see about 7 per cent of its total crew off work.
Unite’s regional officer, Matt Smith, said BA’s pay rates were “indefensible”, and “the crew are at breaking point”.
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The union released details of a survey that suggested two-thirds of cabin crew had reported for duty while unfit to fly, because they could not afford to lose the £3 per hour flying allowance they earn on top of their basic salary.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We have been informed tonight by Unite that it has called strike action by Mixed Fleet cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
“We are appalled that Unite proposes to disrupt customers' travel plans on such special days when so many families are trying to gather together or set off on well-deserved holidays.
“This calculated and heartless action is completely unnecessary and we are determined that it will fail.
“We will plan to ensure all our customers travel to their destinations so that their Christmas arrangements are not ruined. We will publish more details within the next 72 hours.
“Meanwhile, we have also approached the conciliation service ACAS to seek their assistance in reaching an outcome that would avoid any possibility of disruption.”
Unite’s national officer for civil air transport, Oliver Richardson, said: “Our members are only taking this industrial action as a last resort in a bid to reach a fair settlement.
“We appreciate that this is a very busy time of year at the UK’s airports and that’s why we are calling for the company to engage in constructive talks under the auspices of Acas to resolve this dispute.”
BA said it has approached the conciliation service Acas in a bid to resolve the dispute.
The strike misery comes as Virgin Atlantic pilots voted for industrial action short of a strike in a row over union recognition.
From December 23 "pilot goodwill" will be removed, meaning some flights may not be covered.
Virgin said it does not expect flights to be affected, adding: "We have been clear with the PPU leadership team that this action is unnecessary and we remain prepared to recognise the PPU once we have agreed the terms for voluntary recognition.
"We expect our flying programme to remain unaffected during this period and want to reassure our customers that all flights are operating as normal."
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