A FRESH PRESS RELEASE FROM UNITE
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PRESS RELEASE FROM UNITE CABIN CREW
Dec 14th, 2009 by admin 
This "Press Release" was given to the media who were at Sandown today
"There is one component on any aircraft that is more important than any other; without it no planes can take off or land and no airline can operate - and that is its passengers.
British Airways’ cabin crew passionately believe that in order for British Airways to succeed and to prosper in the future, we must look after our customers better than every other airline.
We also believe that reducing the number of crew on board the aircraft, that provide that service, is a mistake and is not the way for British Airways to be successful; we believe that this will give our competitors a huge advantage.
If savings need to be achieved, then these should be achieved in a different way, not by reducing the quality of the service provided to our customers.
We are deeply saddened to have reached the point where we must take industrial action to get our voices heard, but feel that we have been left with no other choice.
We are extremely conscious of the disruption that this will cause to many people who have looked forward to flying, either for a holiday or to visit family, friends and loved ones over the Christmas period.
We do not want to cause that inconvenience, so even at this late stage we offer an opportunity for that disruption not to occur.
The savings that British Airways has imposed upon Cabin Crew has a value of £40 million; if the board of British Airways removes the impositions then we will recognise that by committing to savings equal to that amount.
This is not an 11th hour offer but a repeat of the sensible offers made many months ago; there is now and there was then, no need to adopt imposition as a way of doing business.
Cabin crew were always willing to play their part in reducing costs.
Such offers were continually rejected to later justify the strategy of a leadership team that continually seeks the need to reinforce "its own right to manage".
There is no need for industrial action and no need to cause disruption to even one single passenger; we urge the board of British Airways to truly look after our passengers’ interests in preventing disruption to their Christmas plans by accepting this offer, in the good faith it is offered.
If we are forced to take industrial action, then we will continue to do what we do best - look after people; as of today, we will begin to organise cabin crew to offer to work over Christmas as volunteers for charities throughout the United Kingdom that need our help"
The savings that British Airways has imposed upon Cabin Crew has a value of £40 million; if the board of British Airways removes the impositions then we will recognise that by committing to savings equal to that amount.
Has UNITE and its brigade been dumped behind a train? BA cannot remove the imposition because there aren't enough crew available as they have all left on VR!