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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/11/british-airways-cabin-crew-vote-industrial-action-heathrow-wages
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| British Airways cabin crew to vote for possible industrial action British Airways cabin crew to vote for possible industrial action | |
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| Low-paid cabin crew at British Airways are to vote for possible strike action, after rejecting a 2% pay offer on what their union describes as “poverty pay” levels. | Low-paid cabin crew at British Airways are to vote for possible strike action, after rejecting a 2% pay offer on what their union describes as “poverty pay” levels. |
| More than 2,000 of the airline’s mixed fleet employees working out of Heathrow are to be balloted next week. All new recruits join the mixed fleet, which was set up in 2010 offering markedly inferior pay and conditions to those enjoyed by existing crew. | More than 2,000 of the airline’s mixed fleet employees working out of Heathrow are to be balloted next week. All new recruits join the mixed fleet, which was set up in 2010 offering markedly inferior pay and conditions to those enjoyed by existing crew. |
| Unite, the union representing the crew, says the average pay including allowances is just £16,000 a year, a figure disputed by BA, which says crew would normally make at least £21,000 a year with bonuses, from a basic salary of £12,000 a year. | Unite, the union representing the crew, says the average pay including allowances is just £16,000 a year, a figure disputed by BA, which says crew would normally make at least £21,000 a year with bonuses, from a basic salary of £12,000 a year. |
| The union claims the low pay has seen crew sleeping in their cars between shifts and working in different jobs on their days off to make ends meet. A union survey found two in three crew had gone to work while unfit to fly because they could not afford to be off sick. | The union claims the low pay has seen crew sleeping in their cars between shifts and working in different jobs on their days off to make ends meet. A union survey found two in three crew had gone to work while unfit to fly because they could not afford to be off sick. |
| Unite’s regional officer Matt Smith said: “British Airways, once the ‘world’s favourite airline’, is fast becoming the ‘world’s least liked’, paying poverty wages. It should be to the company’s eternal shame that they, the UK’s national carrier, are making billions while their cabin crew responsible for maintaining a safe environment are working while sick and without adequate rest.” | Unite’s regional officer Matt Smith said: “British Airways, once the ‘world’s favourite airline’, is fast becoming the ‘world’s least liked’, paying poverty wages. It should be to the company’s eternal shame that they, the UK’s national carrier, are making billions while their cabin crew responsible for maintaining a safe environment are working while sick and without adequate rest.” |
| Discontent at pay and conditions has been brewing for several years among lower-paid recruits, who considered a strike in 2014. | Discontent at pay and conditions has been brewing for several years among lower-paid recruits, who considered a strike in 2014. |
| Walsh, chief executive of BA’s parent company IAG, earned £6.5m in 2015, while the company is forecasting annual profits of €2.5bn (£2.3bn). | Walsh, chief executive of BA’s parent company IAG, earned £6.5m in 2015, while the company is forecasting annual profits of €2.5bn (£2.3bn). |
| A British Airways spokeswoman said: “Our pay proposal for our mixed fleet cabin crew is fair, reasonable and consistent with that already accepted by other British Airways colleagues. It reflects typical pay awards given by other companies in the UK and will ensure their reward levels remain in line with cabin crew at our airline competitors. We remain open and flexible to discuss this further with our colleagues and the union.” | A British Airways spokeswoman said: “Our pay proposal for our mixed fleet cabin crew is fair, reasonable and consistent with that already accepted by other British Airways colleagues. It reflects typical pay awards given by other companies in the UK and will ensure their reward levels remain in line with cabin crew at our airline competitors. We remain open and flexible to discuss this further with our colleagues and the union.” |
| She said that the pay offer would see basic pay and hourly duty rates increase by a minimum of 7%. | She said that the pay offer would see basic pay and hourly duty rates increase by a minimum of 7%. |
| One of Britain’s most prolonged and bitter strikes in recent years took place at BA, when cabin crew walked out for 22 days between 2010 and 2011, costing the airline about £150m. | One of Britain’s most prolonged and bitter strikes in recent years took place at BA, when cabin crew walked out for 22 days between 2010 and 2011, costing the airline about £150m. |
| Earlier this year, BA crew voted for industrial action short of a strike in protest at a new performance review system. | Earlier this year, BA crew voted for industrial action short of a strike in protest at a new performance review system. |