This a letter from Steve Turner, UNITE’s national officer for C.A.T. in response to the events of this week
To: All British Airways Cabin Crew
BASSA members
Dear colleagues
UNITE - British Airways Cabin Crew Negotiations
With reference to the above, I felt that it would be appropriate to update you on where negotiations are between your union and British Airways.
Firstly, I know BASSA do an excellent job of communicating with you and have kept you accurately informed of progress on a regular basis. I also know you as a community are rightly extremely supportive of your representatives. This is a testimony to your cohesiveness as members and the organisation of the branch, which gives me, your National Secretary, a real sense of pride and support during negotiations.
I have been tasked by the Joint General Secretary, Tony Woodley to lead negotiations over changes within the Cabin Crew NSP. As always I am accompanied by your BASSA representatives. I am acutely aware of the significance of the impact of proposed changes on crew and have approached our discussions with a seriousness and integrity that befits the situation you face.
Sadly I cannot say the same is true is respect of British Airways. They have constantly misrepresented both my position and that of BASSA.
Therefore for reasons of clarity I felt it necessary to take the unusual step of updating you personally to avoid any misrepresentation of the true position of your union, Unite.
Both BASSA and I were available to convene talks immediately subsequent to the meeting of the General Secretaries and Willie Walsh. A series of dates were agreed upon as acceptable to both sides, this is a simple matter of record.
To suggest otherwise is regrettably a somewhat transparent attempt to distract attention away from the real issues that we face.
They will not succeed we will continue to remain clear and focused on exactly the reasons why these talks are being held and that is to secure the future of your hard won agreements for all cabin crew within British Airways.
In respect of the meeting held this Monday the only agreement on talks were that there were no preconditions. This remains the case.
The fact that BA have attempted to place the precondition on talks of watching a presentation and accepting a £140m (or 25% reduction) cost saving, is neither helpful nor will be accepted. Indeed, sadly, they have also attempted to place the same preconditions on the meeting of the ACC NSP, again this in not acceptable to our union.
In refusing to go ahead with the NSP the company have refused to resolve serious immediate issues that affect you the crew. These issues will not go away, and by not addressing them they simply add to the myriad of industrial relations problems that we face.
In respect of the future talks, let me place on record there has been no ’agreed principles’ through ACAS. For Bill Francis, who was neither present nor involved in any of the discussions on Monday to state otherwise is simply not true. Sadly this is something that I have come to expect from his communications as they have tended to reflect a much distorted version of reality.
Your BASSA representatives and I will attend talks on you behalf, where we will seek to resolve the current situation with the best interest of you, our members, at heart. While the company may wish to portray differences of approach between Unite branches at BA for their own ends, let me reassure you that this is not the case and that we are speaking as one on behalf of all of our members within our community.
We will return to the Branch on the 5th October, where we will update you and let you guide us on matters. At the heart of our union, are the interests of you our members and through out any future talks this will remain my sole priority.
Yours in solidarity
Steve Turner
National Officer - Civil Air Transport
Oh dear. My finger slipped.