[Tom Otley]

Latest press release from BA about the next period of strike action…

MORE THAN 75 PER CENT OF CUSTOMERS TO FLY THROUGH STRIKE

British Airways will fly more than 75 per cent of customers booked to travel between tomorrow and March 30, despite these four days being targeted for strikes by Unite.

Of approximately 240,000 customers originally booked to travel in the strike period, the airline expects to fly more than 180,000.

A further 18 per cent have been rebooked to travel on other carriers, or changed the dates of their British Airways flights to avoid the strike period. Several thousand customers have brought forward their departures to today (Friday).

During Unite’s first round of industrial action last weekend, almost 60 per cent of rostered cabin crew ignored the strike call and reported for work.

Willie Walsh, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “I am delighted that we will be able to fly such a large proportion of our customers to their chosen destinations in the coming days.

“The vast majority of British Airways staff, including thousands of cabin crew, are pulling together to serve our customers and keep our flag flying.

“At the same time, I feel really sorry for those customers whose plans have been ruined by Unite’s completely unjustified action. Despite the union’s promises, this strike has affected the Easter holiday plans of thousands of hard-working people.”

Over the next four days, British Airways will fly a full normal schedule from Gatwick and London City airports.

At Heathrow, the airline will operate 70 per cent of its long-haul programme (up from 60 per cent in the first strike period) and 55 per cent of its short-haul programme (up from 30 per cent).

[BusinessTraveller]

And here’s the latest from Unite:

Dear Colleagues

First of all we would like to once again congratulate you on your magnificent support for the strike action taken last weekend. Let us assure you that we are working night and day to find a way to reach a decent agreement with British Airways to bring this dispute to a speedy resolution.

However, there is no reason to anticipate that we will secure such an agreement before the second scheduled strike action, to run for four days from this Saturday. It is vital that you show continued commitment to our cause, and to gain the respect from your employer by supporting this strike.

We would therefore like to offer your union’s full support and assurance on two issues we know are of the utmost importance to you.

First, we repeat that the withdrawal of travel concessions from crew who have been on strike represents unacceptable anti-union bullying. Any agreement to end this dispute must and will include a framework for the full restoration of those travel concessions.

Secondly, the company has vindictively acted to dock pay from crew not just for days taken on strike, but in some cases for longer periods, significantly impacting on your income. Accordingly, Unite will pay strike pay at our agreed rate not just for days taken on strike, but for ALL days for which the employer has deducted wages as a result of the industrial action. The union is discussing with your representatives an appropriate procedure on how best to do this.

In solidarity,

Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley
Joint general secretaries

[BusinessTraveller]

Latest release from BA on passenger numbers during the second strike:

PROFIT OUTLOOK REMAINS UNCHANGED

Contingency plans for the second period of industrial action have again been very successful.

Over the first two days (March 27 and 28) the airline operated 308 or 83 per cent of its longhaul programme (273 or 78 per cent last weekend) and 623 or 67 per cent of its shorthaul programme (442 or 50 per cent last weekend). Total number of passenger flights increased 30 per cent from 715 to 931. Seat factors continued to be strong at 75 per cent in longhaul and 64 per cent in shorthaul.

In addition the airline operated 61 positioning flights to carry cargo and return passengers home with minimum disruption, nine less than last weekend. Wet lease aircraft decreased from 22 to 11 (costing approximately £495,000 for the last two days) as we operated a larger number of our own aircraft. We operated 100 per cent of our normal schedule at Gatwick.

Over this busy Easter holiday air travel weekend, we flew 118,575 passengers, an increase of 37 per cent over the 86,262 carried last weekend.

This strong and improved operational performance made possible by dedicated BA staff has further reduced the impact of the disruption. The estimate is a daily impact of £5.5 million for each day this weekend. Any change to the cost impact for the remaining two days of industrial action will be announced later in the week if required. Earnings expectations for the year ended March 31, 2010 continue broadly unchanged.

[BusinessTraveller]

And here’s the latest from Unite:

Unite steps up financial support for BA cabin crew – £700,000 to be raised for fight against cuts

Unite, the union for BA cabin crew, has announced today (Monday) that it will raise £700,000 from Unite’s branches to support cabin crew in their fight to protect standards and jobs at the airline.

The news comes as the cabin crew take their sixth day of industrial action. The funds will be in addition to the money the union is paying to crew in strike pay.

Tony Woodley, Unite joint general secretary said: “This is an unprecedented move and it shows that Unite is absolutely determined to give our members all the support they deserve in winning this battle against the BA bullies.

“We continue to search for a decent settlement in this dispute but cabin crew are not going to be driven back to work for lack of resources.”

The proposal was agreed today (Monday) by the General Executive of Unite. A mandatory 2 percent levy will be placed on Unite’s branches for the next quarter to support the strikers.

[VintageKrug]

Well, WW should be on Sky News at 7.30pm this evening.

Rumour has it that a formal settlement with Unite will be announced very shortly (though not likely before mid October).

Note the agreement would be with Unite and not BASSA. BASSA still have to approve any Unite settlement…..

[Potakas]

Thanks, VK

Sorry for asking something that would probably have been already mentioned but can you please tell me if BASSA will be able to vote for strike after a settlement between BA and Unite?

Cheers
Potakas

[VintageKrug]

An interesting question.

BASSA is among the largest branches of its parent union Unite (formerly Transport & General Workers’ Union).

As such, it would normally be bound by its masters i.e. the Woodley/Simpson double act. However, I understand that Tony Woodley prohibited BASSA from striking a number of years previously; as a consequence the militants who lead BASSA changed the constitution, such that BASSA, and ONLY BASSA, has the power to call, and settle, a strike.

There is a subtlety between voting for vs. actually calling a strike. BASSA could certainly vote for a strike, whether Unite would actually let that vote progress to Industrial Action is another issue.

This is why we have seen a schism between the extremists at BASSA who seem content on frustrating any settlement, while Unite itself is actually being much more pragmatic and is actually negotiating with BA (unlike BASSA which walked out of negotiations over a year ago).

One should also remember that BASSA reps are still paid by Unite (and some receive a proportion of the not inconsiderable BA Union dues) , while they no longer receive BA salaries if they are no longer employed at BA. So many of the BASSA leadership have no interest in settling, or indeed triggering a rep election.

So even if Unite wanted to settle, they would have to get BASSA leadership approval to do so.

However, there is a twist to all this and this around the election of the BASSA leadership. As many are no longer employed by BA they are technically in breach and should not be BASSA reps; elections should be held immediately and many of them would not be eligible to stand for re-election.

So Unite might be able to get round this on the grounds of legitimacy and/or democratic mandate.

Unite bankrolls the strike (strike pay to union members etc.), and could be liable for any illegal strike action (and any further strike action would almost certainly be illegal) so it would be very much in their interest to ensure it doesn’t happen.

Unite have demonstrated they are quite prepared to put BASSA back in its box when it steps out of line (witness the call to illegal secondary action re: blinds) so precedent would suggest BASSA is not as powerful or independent as its leadership think it is..

So in summary, there are lots of factors at play here, but ultimately Unite has huge legal and financial exposure if and when any strike is called, and so I would suggest it would exercise its not inconsiderable muscle to reign in BASSA should push come to shove.

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