BAA face strike threat
15.07.10
Unite is to ballot over 6000 staff about possible strike action at BAA's six UK airports in a dispute over pay. The announcement follows months of negotiations over a 1% pay offer, with the possibility of an additional 0.5% if staff accept changes to terms and conditions.
Unite official Brendan Gold said staff had accepted a pay freeze in 2009 and described the 2010 offer as ‘paltry’. In addition to the 1%, BAA is offering an extra 0.5% if staff agree to changes to the company's sickness agreement. Staff were also to receive a bonus if BAA met certain financial targets, but these were missed by 3%.
BAA said it was ‘disappointed’ by the announcement. It said: ‘During recent discussions with Unite, we proposed a conditional 1.5% pay increase. We believe this is a reasonable offer at a time when BAA and its airline customers are seeing a decline in passengers due to the recession and volcanic ash cloud. We regret Unite's decision, which will cause unnecessary concern for millions of passengers and damage Britain's reputation around the world.’
The strike ballot of Unite's 6,185 BAA members will open on July 23 and close on August 12, raising the possibility of strikes from late August.
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