Jun 24, 2022, 4:09 pm
Last edit by: Tobias-UK
LATEST UPDATE: 7 July 2022
British Airway's employed ground staff, based mainly at LHR. have voted in favour of strike action in respect of a dispute relating to pay and conditions. This strike ballot is valid for 6 months, and allows the unions to nominate strike dates, provided the employer has 2 weeks notice of the strike. The general tendency in the UK is for relatively short strike dates, typically a day or two, but several of them separate by several days.
Updated: 7 July/2022, no strike dates have been provided and an agreement in principle has been reached with the Unions. Two weeks notice must be provided by the unions. This means there will be no strikes before 21 July 2022. However though the ballot is valid 6 months, the first strike needs to be within 4 weeks, which is 23 July 2022. This can extended by a further 4 weeks if the employer agrees, for example to facilitate a ballot of the agreement. So that suggests there won't be a strike in July and there may well be no strikes at all for this employment group.
Those involved in this strike are check-in staff, baggage handlers, lounge staff, gate agents, some turnaround managers, and related airport staff. Cabin and flight crew are not in this dispute. LGW and LCY flights are not in this dispute. Contract ground agents - at LHR and out stations - are also not involved. Some roles can be performed by management, but it is unlikely that core activties at LHR Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 can avoid significant disruption. If flights are disrupted by strkes then usually BA allows people to move their flights to alternative dates and other arrangements (e.g. rebooking on AA). There is a separate dispute being worked through involving call centre staff and engineers, but there is no ballot at this point, so any strike is some way off.
British Airway's employed ground staff, based mainly at LHR. have voted in favour of strike action in respect of a dispute relating to pay and conditions. This strike ballot is valid for 6 months, and allows the unions to nominate strike dates, provided the employer has 2 weeks notice of the strike. The general tendency in the UK is for relatively short strike dates, typically a day or two, but several of them separate by several days.
Updated: 7 July/2022, no strike dates have been provided and an agreement in principle has been reached with the Unions. Two weeks notice must be provided by the unions. This means there will be no strikes before 21 July 2022. However though the ballot is valid 6 months, the first strike needs to be within 4 weeks, which is 23 July 2022. This can extended by a further 4 weeks if the employer agrees, for example to facilitate a ballot of the agreement. So that suggests there won't be a strike in July and there may well be no strikes at all for this employment group.
Those involved in this strike are check-in staff, baggage handlers, lounge staff, gate agents, some turnaround managers, and related airport staff. Cabin and flight crew are not in this dispute. LGW and LCY flights are not in this dispute. Contract ground agents - at LHR and out stations - are also not involved. Some roles can be performed by management, but it is unlikely that core activties at LHR Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 can avoid significant disruption. If flights are disrupted by strkes then usually BA allows people to move their flights to alternative dates and other arrangements (e.g. rebooking on AA). There is a separate dispute being worked through involving call centre staff and engineers, but there is no ballot at this point, so any strike is some way off.
BA ground staff at LHR: Summer '22 strike threat suspended after deal agreed
Jun 19, 2022, 2:41 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2017
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Ah here we go again with the possibility of another strike at BA. It's almost every year BA management seem to go above and beyond to piss off their staff. In all honestly I hope the staff either get what they want or this is the final nail in the coffin for BA because it's often cheaper and more reliable to fly with another carrier.
Let's just hope it's not that dreaded mixed fleet union negotiating for the cabin crew because I'm not sure they are any good at what they do!
Let's just hope it's not that dreaded mixed fleet union negotiating for the cabin crew because I'm not sure they are any good at what they do!
Jun 19, 2022, 8:41 am
#32
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Actually they can but its not without severe consequences to a company that does so. In the end all what would happen is a company would just pay them compensation.
Jun 19, 2022, 9:04 am
#33
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well in the sense that there is nothing in an employment contract saying you have a right to strike, and that by definition a strike isn’t compatible with your employment contract, yes anyone can be sacked for striking. I think saying they would “just pay them compensation” somewhat underplays the liability they would have incurred as an employer if they did that.
Jun 19, 2022, 9:40 am
#34
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well in the sense that there is nothing in an employment contract saying you have a right to strike, and that by definition a strike isn’t compatible with your employment contract, yes anyone can be sacked for striking. I think saying they would “just pay them compensation” somewhat underplays the liability they would have incurred as an employer if they did that.
Jun 19, 2022, 12:56 pm
#35
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This was basically the approach taken by P&O, and that did not end well. I doubt Doyle wants to go up before a Parliamentary enquiry.
Jun 19, 2022, 1:00 pm
#36
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Yes apologies for the side track. I think we can all agree BA are not about to start making anyone redundant due to strikes.
Let’s hope this is resolved amicably before any action. I suspect many of us are starting to find travel atm quite trying as it is without strikes to deal with as well
Let’s hope this is resolved amicably before any action. I suspect many of us are starting to find travel atm quite trying as it is without strikes to deal with as well
Jun 19, 2022, 4:06 pm
#37
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,059
There’s nothing quite like BA in panic mode. Apparently they’re hastily trying to find hundreds of HQ staff they can train rapidly to work in terminals. Can’t wait for the stories here when that all goes wrong. At least all XSBs will be free for a while, that’s not part of the training.
Jun 19, 2022, 10:39 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,206
I’d hope that BA and IAG, under Doyle and Gallego, are a bit less dogmatic in their approach than they were when Willie and his loyal minion Alex were running the shop. From what I hear the TU demands, both in the air and on the ground, are far from being unreasonable.
Jun 20, 2022, 12:33 am
#39
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Well, this is all shaking up to be a summer of sh*t. The airports are already in chaos without the strikes, soon we won't be able to get to the airport because public transport is on strike, parking at the airport costs a fortune so driving yourself is not a desirable option.
No common sense anywhere and it won't be long before we end up in a 70's style situation
No common sense anywhere and it won't be long before we end up in a 70's style situation
Jun 20, 2022, 1:29 am
#41
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,379
Well, that's the theory on why companies and unions negotiate! Unions want maximum results, the company wants a compromise.
Jun 20, 2022, 1:45 am
#42
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Not necessarily. If we take UK rail, we have inflation at 10% and a 2% pay offer. It's not surprising people are striking.
If, last year when inflation was 2%, management proposed a 6% pay cut (which leads to an identical outcome for staff) I don't think anyone would have blamed staff for walking out.
If, last year when inflation was 2%, management proposed a 6% pay cut (which leads to an identical outcome for staff) I don't think anyone would have blamed staff for walking out.
Jun 20, 2022, 2:33 am
#43
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,060
All this assumes that management are reasonable and act within the law, P&O clear fall outside both of those simple criteria. They acted unlawfully and unreasonably and furthermore it was unrepentant, they should be in jail.
This attitude seems to be a mood or culture amongst British management when faced with industrial action, a macho response where the law is ignored or overriden as a means of bullying and harassing workers who dare to ask for more, it is unsurprising that the unions are feeling less collaborative and more confrontational.
For those who wish evidence of this in action in BA a short google search for Employment Tribunal judgments about the last pilots strike might be enlightening. Certain managers did not cover themselves in glory, and in hindsight may rue their acts.
This attitude seems to be a mood or culture amongst British management when faced with industrial action, a macho response where the law is ignored or overriden as a means of bullying and harassing workers who dare to ask for more, it is unsurprising that the unions are feeling less collaborative and more confrontational.
For those who wish evidence of this in action in BA a short google search for Employment Tribunal judgments about the last pilots strike might be enlightening. Certain managers did not cover themselves in glory, and in hindsight may rue their acts.
Jun 20, 2022, 6:29 am
#44
Join Date: Jul 2006
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The remuneration being offered for some of these airport jobs is ridiculously low, eg. 20k for baggage handler jobs at LHR with Swissport, early starts and late finishes, working outside in all weathers, and the wear and tear it has on their backs and bodies. I'd hate to be travelling with BA in July and get caught up in this, but if the staff revolt who are working day and night on these wages, I don't blame them.
Last edited by QF Lad; Jun 20, 2022 at 6:50 am
Jun 20, 2022, 6:36 am
#45
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,060
Meanwhile at IAG Towers they think they are doing a cracking job,
https://news.sky.com/story/ba-owner-...-plan-12620226
https://news.sky.com/story/ba-owner-...-plan-12620226
