The latest news from the LBC.97.3 website looks like it is 'game on again for the headbangers!
BA Cabin Crew Ballot Called Off, Union Says
Thursday, 11th November 2010 12:28
A ballot of British Airways cabin crew on resolving their long-running dispute with the airline has been suspended, Unite has announced.
A vote on strike action now looks likely after members of the union refused to back a new deal put forward by the airline.
It had been hoped a breakthrough in the dispute may be on the horizon following a series of walk-outs by crew since March.
Unite had been due to ask its 11,000 members whether they wanted to accept a suggested deal, with voting expected to be held in the coming weeks.
It had been thought the offer would be recommended for acceptance by union leaders.
But Unite's joint leader Tony Woodley said any sense that the deal was being presented to cabin crew over the heads of "unwilling representatives" would be damaging to the union.
"Under these circumstances I have suspended the ballot on the offer and will meet with all of our cabin crew representatives as a matter of urgency to consider the next steps," he said.
Sky News' business presenter Joel Hills said a strike over Christmas was considered highly unlikely.
"Any strike over the festive period can be almost ruled out now," he said.
"Any postal ballot would take at least four weeks and the union would then need to give
BA a week's notice. It would be virtually impossible for them to squeeze that in before Christmas."
The dispute began over a year ago, initially over cost savings.
But the battle intensified as disciplinary action was taken against cabin crew who went on strike and were also stripped of their travel concessions.
Unite members have taken 22 days of strike action earlier this year, costing the airline £150m and disrupting travel for passengers.
Under the proposed deal, the union would have had to drop legal action on behalf of members who have been disciplined and agree to a period of no industrial action before the travel concessions were fully restored.
(c) Sky News 2010
