Actually it was Unite - in the form of Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley - who had to stamp on BASSA.
Our ref: IA/BA’10/100805.REP
5 August 2010
Dear Colleague
BRITISH AIRWAYS PLC
This Notice is given in accordance with the requirements imposed upon the Union by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Only the Executive Council can authorise industrial action and it can only do so after a secret postal ballot.
On 2 August 2010 a posting was published on the BASSA website entitled ‘Closing Window Blinds at the End of Your Flight’. The posting asked cabin crew not to agree to close the window blinds at the end of each flight. This posting could be taken as a call to take industrial action. Cabin crew should ignore this posting and should close the window blinds at the end of each flight as instructed and work normally.
The Executive Council has not authorised any industrial action by Unite the Union members employed by the above company and this Notice relates to all and any calls, or threats of, such action.
On Thursday, 5 August 2010 the Executive Council repudiates all and any calls for, or threats of, such action and is obliged by statute to give notice of that repudiation in the following terms:
"Your Union has repudiated the call (or calls) for industrial action to which this Notice relates and will give no support to unofficial industrial action taken in response to it (or them). If you are dismissed while taking unofficial industrial action, you will have no right to complain of unfair dismissal."
If you fail to work normally, you will be taking part in unofficial action. Members who are dismissed while taking part in unofficial action will not be able to apply to an Employment Tribunal claiming unfair dismissal and nor will the Union be able to take any action in support of their re-engagement.
If members wish to take industrial action at any time in the future they should only do so when the action has been authorised by the Executive Council following a secret postal ballot.
Yours fraternally
DEREK SIMPSON TONY WOODLEY
Joint General Secretary Joint General Secretary