Unite postpone strike vote to consider BA offer
27.06.10
The Unite union has offered to postpone its strike ballot of BA cabin crew in order to give them time to consider a revised offer made by the airline on Friday. The union was due to begin balloting staff on fresh strikes on Tuesday unless there was a breakthrough in the dispute. BA said it welcomed Unite's move as 'a genuine opportunity to end this dispute'.
On Friday the airline made a fresh offer to Unite that includes changes to pay structures it says address cabin crew concerns. These include 'top-up' payments and two years of guaranteed rises in basic salary from 2011. However, it does not address union concerns over the use of non-cabin crew employees during strikes, the withdrawal of travel benefits for strikers and disciplinary action taken against around sixty strikes, at least six of whom have already been dismissed.
Tony Woodley, Unite's joint general secretary, told reporters today that the offer was 'interesting' and that it would be 'inexplicable if we didn't put this offer to our members'. A spokesman for BA said: 'We welcome this statement from Unite. We believe our offer is fair and reasonable and provides a genuine opportunity to end this dispute.'
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