BA Is Shite

BA Is Shite

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The latest news and views on British Airways, the world's "favourite" airline.

Monday 31 December 2007

BAA Strike

BAA is making one final attempt to reason with the dinosaurs in UNITE (the union that is pressing ahead with plans to shut down Britain's major airports on the 7th of January).

However, BA still refuse to acknowledge the possibility of any such strike on its website.

Why?

Update on the BAA strike sourced from AHN

The British Airports Authority is scrambling to avert strikes at some of Britain's busiest airports and is set to hold talks with airport unions on Monday.

Discussions with the Unite and the Public and Commercial Services unions will be held at an undisclosed venue, in a bid to convince the workers to call off the strikes set for seven days in January.

The mass action will kick off on Jan. 7.

The protest action against proposed changes in the salary pension scheme of new workers is seen adversely affecting operations of BAA's seven U.K. airports, including Edinburgh, Gatwick and Heathrow.

Notably, even firefighters and security staff will join the strike which is also slated on Jan. 8, 14, 15, 17, 18 and 19. The airports cannot operate without these personnel. Aberdeen, Glasgow, Southampton and Stansted airports will also join the protests.

If it pushes through, some 1.3 million passengers will be affected, BAA said.

The parties tried but failed to reach a compromise last week.

The unions insisted on the reversal of the pension scheme amendments but BAA refused to give in. Ferrovial, the Spanish owner of BAA, wants to close the company's final-salary pension scheme to new entrants.

Brendan Gold, Unite national aviation officer, said the workers delayed the strike until after the Christmas holiday but are determined to push through with the actions if BAA fails to give in to their demands.

The first day of strike, Jan. 7, will also see a new baggage rule taking effect.

Passengers may carry two pieces of carry-on baggage provided they are at an airport with a new type of three-dimensional scanner.

With workers on strike, confusion is expected to mar airport operations.

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