BBC News - BA's Walsh says he will never reinstate staff perks
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By Martin Shankleman, BBC employment correspondent Willie Walsh reinforced his uncompromising reputation by speaking in such absolute terms. When asked if he will restore the travel perks taken away from strikers, he replied: "That will never happen... We have never, never negotiated on these perks and we never will."
While the categorical nature of these statements makes BA's negotiating position crystal clear, it has also, by definition, made it harder to reach an eventual deal.
In a previous strike in 1997, the perks were removed by BA, only to be reinstated at the end of the dispute. This must have fuelled the hopes of some strikers that the same conciliatory approach would be adopted by BA this time.