British Airways strike looms for next week

The ongoing dispute between British Airways cabin crew and their employers looks set for yet another round of strikes, with walk-offs potentially scheduled for next week.

The continued jostling over wage cuts is far from resolved, with the airline requesting an extension to the time given already for it to consider its supposedly last-ditch offer consisting of a 2.6 percent pay reduction.

Unite, the trade union which represents the BA cabin crew, has agreed to allow discussions to carry-over until tomorrow midday. Only yesterday a new package was presented to the trouble airline on behalf of Unite and the Bassa cabin crew division. This offer covered cost reductions including the removal of some perks such as the telephone allowance, in addition to proposed pay cuts.

The union argues that the pay cuts tabled would exceed the projected £60m a year asked for by the airline but by the 5pm deadline no decision had been made. Rather, BA made a further request for an extension which was accepted by Len McCluskey, the chief negotiator and assistant general secretary for Unite.

If no agreement can be reached by the new deadline then Unite will likely provide seven days notice, as required, for cabin crew members to go on strike. Internal polls have revealed that around one-third of the 12,000 strong cabin crew team have expressed a desire to strike for at least ten days. No strikes will take place over the Easter holiday period.