'Major problems' over BA pay deal

A union leader has warned of "major problems" over a new pay offer by British Airways to avert a strike by thousands of check-in staff and baggage handlers over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The airline is offering £1,000 to its workers linked to improvements in sickness absence in an attempt to avoid a 24-hour walk-out.

Ed Blisset, chief negotiator for the GMB union, met BA managers today and said further negotiations will be held in the hope of reaching an agreement.

But he said workers were not happy that the company was trying to link the pay rise with sickness leave.

He said: "We have a real difficulty with that and we have to find a way through the problem.

"If the company insists on linking pay with absence, it will cause a real problem.

"There are major problems with that which I will be discussing with the company."

Mr Blisset said he would be exploring every avenue possible to try to reach a deal.