Jun 24, 22, 5:09 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
Jul 7, 22, 9:50 am
#226
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Originally Posted by T8191
It was a disgraceful and inept handling of pay, and for probably the first time in my life actually (mentally) supported strike action. It has been a shameful action by BA.
Jul 7, 22, 9:51 am
#227
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Safe to say that this fresh pay offer - reported as ‘vastly improved’ albeit no specifics as yet - would never have come about without the prospect of imminent industrial action. Even the cost-cutting exec management must have woken up and realised just how damaging a series of strikes would prove to be within an already highly-fragile operation.
Here’s hoping that staff are as satisfied as their Unions appear to be, and that the vote itself reflects this.
Here’s hoping that staff are as satisfied as their Unions appear to be, and that the vote itself reflects this.
Jul 7, 22, 11:28 am
#229
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Originally Posted by xenole
Some people might argue that if there is a reduction in flights for the next few months at least, then would there be a need for all these staff on potentially higher wages?
Jul 7, 22, 11:57 am
#230
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Looking at this from another angle, it is hard to justify hiring staff when a recession appears to be round the corner. That would damage demand and potentially leave BA with staff they could not afford in 6-12 months time. That is still no defence for not reinstating the 10% pay cut for the time being though.
Jul 7, 22, 12:05 pm
#231
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,622
Originally Posted by DaveS
Looking at this from another angle, it is hard to justify hiring staff when a recession appears to be round the corner. That would damage demand and potentially leave BA with staff they could not afford in 6-12 months time. That is still no defence for not reinstating the 10% pay cut for the time being though.
Well even during the last recession, we didnt see the massive cut to demand caused by the pandemic. A recession previously never made travel illegal and the last one showed how much disposable income and liquidity was still available. People will still travel and given how many are leaving at present, there is still a requirement for the time being. If its a particularly deep recession I can see a freeze indeed.
Jul 7, 22, 1:06 pm
#232
Join Date: Jan 2015
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Originally Posted by Can I help you
The cabin crew Union is awaiting the details of this deal before they make their move.
Jul 7, 22, 1:59 pm
#234
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Originally Posted by Can I help you
Ground staff took a 10% cut and cabin crew took 15%, if ground staff have had there 10% returned or perhaps even more cabin crew will expect the same.
Jul 7, 22, 2:01 pm
#235
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Originally Posted by Can I help you
Ground staff took a 10% cut and cabin crew took 15%, if ground staff have had there 10% returned or perhaps even more cabin crew will expect the same.
Jul 8, 22, 12:18 pm
#239
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Originally Posted by DaveS
Looking at this from another angle, it is hard to justify hiring staff when a recession appears to be round the corner. That would damage demand and potentially leave BA with staff they could not afford in 6-12 months time. That is still no defence for not reinstating the 10% pay cut for the time being though.
Leisure travel demand is through the roof. Those who could easily afford it and have not been doing for two years have cash to burn even in an economic downturn. But more important than that seems to be the recent ramping up of business travel. A downturn often means people try harder to get their business, that often means more in person visits not less. If every $ spent on travel for staff increases overall revenue $1.5 then you can still see the logic for companies budgeting their travel. It's not the same as production costs, transport costs for goods etc which are costs without any return.
Sure things might not work out that way, but if as an airline are not in a position to take advantage of it if they do, then you have really shot yourself in the foot.
I don't ascribe any altruism to BA, I just think they have to make a reasonable move in this case to protect their position.
Jul 8, 22, 12:26 pm
#240
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Originally Posted by Can I help you
Then I guess you have never been in a position where you are being screwed by a company?
