In August 1981, 11,500 air traffic controllers who belonged to the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, known as PATCO, were permanently fired by President Ronald Reagan, two days after their strike began, due to their violation of federal law. The president felt that the union did not seriously consider the ‘no-strike’ provision of their contract and had no other choice, in order to avoid a disastrous disruption in United States airspace.
PATCO workers were then replaced with non-unionized employees. Further to the firing, President Reagan through an Executive Order in 1982, prevented any of the fired air traffic controllers from being rehired in the future by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), which oversees U.S. air traffic control. Over the next 3-4 year period new controllers were hired and trained in order to replace those fired, provided with supplementation by the U.S. military, in order to keep planes in the air. In 1993, also by Executive Order, President Bill Clinton rescinded Reagan’s Order, allowing previously fired PATCO workers to be hired again by the FAA, which presently includes several hundred of the previously dismissed.
Comparing apples and pears.
BA does not have a 'no strike clause'.
BA can sack only the entire striking workforce, not selectively dismiss pilots for striking.
BA cannot do that until 8 weeks into the industrial action and BA has taken such procedural steps as are reasonable to try to resolve the dispute.
BA cannot selectively remploy strikers until 3 months have elapsed.
I can just see a flood of inbound, qualified pilots, being interviewed, employed, trained and online in no time at all, yeah right.
I can also just see this government standing by and letting it happen, one of the few reasons to be grateful for the Labour party I suppose.