[AMcWhirter]

Just been announced. A further 14 day strike from August 2.

http://www.itv.com/news/2017-07-19/ba-crew-set-to-strike-for-further-two-weeks-in-august/

[capetonianm]

I booked a BA flight to CPT in August, I did it against my better judgment because my wife who is as much of a BA fan as I am not, is booked on BA and for once we are travelling on the same date. I normally go on KL.

[Edski777]

It seems 2017 is the year where it doesn’t matter who you complain about with BA. Whether it is management for decreasing the service levels or cabin attendants going on strike. Travel seems to become more of a lottery with an ever increasing chance of losing.
It would be nice if all parties get together and resolve these issues. It would be a great start to re-invent this airline and put it back on its feet! Before too many customers/passengers start using their feet.

[FDOS_UK]

It is getting beyond a joke – I now suggest

– BA and Unite sort the dispute out
– It is no longer an ‘extraordinary event – it is ‘business as usual and (a) BA should now be liable for EC261 payments caused by this strike and (b) the CAA should deny the use of Qatar aircraft from 1 August

If this means BA make the entire mixed fleet redundant and start again, so be it.

It cannot run for month after month like this, it is a fiasco.

[SimonS1]

Interesting to read a little snippet in the CAA’s document summarising reasons for the DfT to approve the Qatar leases.

http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/OR2228%20CAA%20AdviceForDfT.pdf

23. It is argued that for the purposes of compensation for delay or cancellation under EU Regulation 261/2004, the industrial action would be unlikely to be deemed an “extraordinary circumstance”. However, that view is based on the airline having sufficient opportunity to lease in aircraft to cover, which is the purpose of this application.

If I read this correctly, the CAA is saying that by recommending the application their view is that industrial action should not be grounds for avoiding EC261 compensation?

[openfly]

The strikes work wonders for BAs time-keeping. During the last 15 days of strikes hardly a flight was cancelled…far less than usual. Let’s have more strikes BA…bring it on!
I gather that the mixed-fleet crews are actually earning more money while on strike as their strike pay is higher than their normal BA pay….hey everybody is happy!
Funny old world. ?

[BA789]

The previous strike did not have much of an impact so BA management must be confident and will stand their ground.
Meanwhile, BA’s reputation continues it’s descent ?

I wonder how the pay for cabin crew, pilots and management at BA compares with their continental peers: KLM, AF, LH etc

[Eastbourneguy]

Please correct me if I am wrong here, but there is a limit on the time crew can NOT fly for without CAA endorsed safety training to be retaken?

With some crew not flying for a while BA are in a win win….without be certified to fly then they are without their jobs…..BA may be able to terminate contracts of those they choose.?

[rferguson]

Well there has been some movement here, whether it will result in the strikes being suspended or not remains to be seen.

These more recent strikes have (officially) been about the punitive actions that BA took against those who took IA previously – namely the loss of staff travel. Although the real beef that the crew seem to have is the poor pay/T&C’s Mixed Fleet Unite has got itself into a bit of a pickle as it previously recommended the new pay deal offered by BA although when put to a vote the union members rejected it.

Anyway, BA has offered to reinstate all staff travel to all crew from Aug 1. This is a big back down from BA and an unexpected one.
The head of MF Unite recently stepped down and was moved sideways within Unite and has been replaced by someone that apparently BA finds more ‘easy to work with’.

So….watch this space.

[openfly]

@Rferguson. One has to wonder if the new guy at Unite is “easier to work with” due to the availability of his/her unlimited First Class seats! Me cynical…never! ??

[Tom Otley]

… another strike announced

#britishairways strike. 14 extra days announced. We are here to talk BA, but members need more than £12,192 salary. pic.twitter.com/ETO97zBOfq

— Mixed Fleet Unite (@MFUnite) August 2, 2017

[openfly]

…..an extra 14 days of strike. Great, another 14 days of BA flights on time, with no cancellations!!

[K1ngston]

+1 openly 🙂

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

If you don’t want to do the job for the salary you signed the contract for then move along…….

[Tom Otley]

Latest update..

Unite Press Release

Unite chief calls on British Airways to use ‘pause for peace’ to resolve cabin crew dispute

Britain’s largest union, Unite today (Tuesday 22 August) called on British Airways to use a ‘pause for peace’ to enter talks and find a resolution to the long running mixed fleet cabin crew dispute over pay and the sanctioning of striking workers.

Writing to Alex Cruz, the boss of British Airways, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “You will be aware that we have not issued any further notice for strike action which will currently end on 30 August.

“This is in order to create a ‘pause for peace’ so that our respective teams can get around the table with a view to securing a mutually accepted resolution to the current dispute.

“Given the nature and length of the dispute I am more than willing to involve myself in any future talks with you and would ask that the company looks at a number of dates from 31 August onwards.”

The call comes as Unite members working for British Airways’ mixed fleet near the end of two months’ of strike action scheduled to finish after the August bank holiday on Wednesday 30 August.

The action involving cabin crew, working on short and long haul flights from Heathrow, has led to the cancellation of flights and British Airways spending millions on ‘wet leasing’ aircraft to cover striking cabin crew.

Unite is also pursuing legal action on behalf of mixed fleet cabin crew who have been sanctioned for taking strike action in the long-running dispute. Sanctions have included the removal of bonuses worth hundreds of pounds which the union argues effectively amounts to blacklisting.

Since 2010 all British Airways new cabin crew employees join what is called ‘mixed fleet’, where despite promises that pay would be 10 per cent above the market rate, basic pay starts at just £12,192 with £3 an hour flying pay. Unite estimates that on average ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew earn £16,000, including allowances, a year.

[Author]

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