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Old 12th May 2011, 11:32
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ChicoG
 
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And from Sky

BA has agreed a deal with staff to end a two-year dispute that prompted a series of crippling strikes.

As Sky News revealed last night, members of Unite are meeting near Heathrow airport to hear details of the proposed deal and decide whether it should go out to a ballot to finally end the row.

The union describes it as an "honourable agreement" which will lead to the return of travel perks to cabin crew - removed by then-BA chief executive, Willie Walsh at the height of his row with Unite.

It is understood that progress has also been made on the other main sticking point covering disciplinary action against dozens of Unite members.

The proposed deal will cover too the issue of time off for union reps as well as the ability of Unite to represent staff working on BA's so-called new fleet.

Pay is also expected to be covered by the proposed agreement, which will be explained to today's mass meeting by Unite's general secretary Len McCluskey.

Any ballot will start within the next few weeks, with the result likely in July, ending any fears of further disruption to BA flights this summer.

It is understood that union officials will recommend the deal to cabin crew, who will then have to decide if they want a ballot or if it should be rejected, which would raise the prospect of more industrial action.

However, hopes are high that the dispute, the longest and most bitter in the transport industry for years, is close to being resolved.

The row started in February 2009 over cost-cutting but developed into a fallout over travel concessions taken away from union members who went on strike.

Members of Unite staged 22 days of strikes last year which cost BA over £150m and threats of further walkouts soured industrial relations at the airline.

Travel concessions were removed from those who took industrial action and there were a number of disciplinary cases taken against Unite members.

The two sides came close to a deal last year, but peace hopes collapsed, leaving the dispute deadlocked.

BA's former chief executive, Willie Walsh, moved on to head the airline's merger with Spanish carrier Iberia, and Unite elected Mr McCluskey to succeed former joint general secretaries Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson.

The change in leaderships gave a fresh impetus to moves to resolve the row, leading to new talks in recent weeks.

Unite members voted recently to stage more strikes, but the union held back from naming dates in a sign that progress could be made.

Around 7,000 Unite members were affected by the removal of travel concessions, an issue at the top of the union's agenda for resolving the dispute.
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