Travel threat to Christmas as BA cabin crew prepare to strike

Thouands of British Airways cabin crew members are poised to strike before Christmas, causing major travel chaos.

BA's biggest union, Unite, is to ballot 14,000 staff with the recommendation that they vote for a walkout.

The first could take place as early as next month and continue into the weeks before Christmas — the busiest time of year.

Unite's joint general secretary Derek Simpson said: "Management's decision to impose unacceptable contractual changes on crew leaves us no alternative. We will strongly support our members if they vote for industrial action."

BA says it must make changes to survive in a competitive market. It is cutting 3,700 jobs, changing conditions and cutting pay rates for new entrants.

A clash with the union appeared inevitable as BA insisted the changes would "go ahead" from 16 November.

There was no date for the start of the ballot, which would take about three weeks. By law the union must give seven days notice of any strike. A BA spokesman said: "We are extremely disappointed that Unite has decided to ballot for industrial action.

"There will be no change to the individual terms and conditions of our current crew. They will not take a pay cut.

"In fact some 75 per cent of crew will receive a pay scale increase worth between two and seven per cent this year and again next year.

"Last week we agreed to listen to any alternative proposals by Unite." Those talks ended without agreement.

BA's chief executive Willie Walsh said changes must be made, adding: "This isn't a temporary problem and it won't disappear if we just keep talking."

In addition to the cuts in cabin crew, jobs will go in other front-line areas. Unite claims BA is intending to axe 10 per cent of its workforce.

BA's management is understood to be working on contingency plans, but if cabin crew do strike the airline will almost certainly be forced to cancel flights during December.