Willie: Strike action not inevitable
Chief executive Willie Walsh has described as “deeply disappointing” news that pilots have voted in favour of strike action.
Pilots’ union BALPA has been balloting BA pilots over the airline’s plans to set up a new subsidiary, OpenSkies, flying between Europe and the US.
The union informed BA today that 79 per cent of those balloted have voted in favour of strike action.
Willie Walsh said: “This is deeply disappointing news that will be of great concern to you and to our customers. However, I do not believe that a strike is inevitable.
“I am calling on BALPA’s general secretary to accept an offer to involve the ACAS conciliation service in a bid for a peaceful outcome to this unnecessary dispute.
“We have guaranteed to BALPA that OpenSkies does not represent a threat to the terms and conditions of BA pilots. We have offered to make these guarantees part of our industrial agreement with pilots. Our talks with BALPA are continuing and I will keep you informed.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7256487.stm
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...b?p_faqid=3152
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...nstrike121.xml
And so it begins.....