​​​​​​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!

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.

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.

Similarly there is nothing stopping me from murdering someone. In the end all what would happen is I would just spend a few years in prison.

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.

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 :)

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.

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.

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

Surely strikes can easily be avoided if BA should just give the union what they want. Then mark up ticket prices accordingly for the loss?

A very simplistic way of sorting out (potential) strikes. Problem is, if a company just caves in, agrees to all demands and the union think "well, that was easy..." then it will encourage future strikes, simply as it's too easy to get BA to cave in and agree. Result? Ongoing circle of striking.

Well, that's the theory on why companies and unions negotiate! Unions want maximum results, the company wants a compromise.

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.

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.

Exactly, BA and its contractors can barely get enough employees to work for them, let alone be firing them.

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.

Meanwhile at IAG Towers they think they are doing a cracking job,

https://news.sky.com/story/ba-owner-...-plan-12620226