This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/8414306.stm

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
BA in legal challenge to strike BA in legal challenge to strike
(10 minutes later)
British Airways is to take legal action to try to prevent a cabin crew strike set to begin on 22 December.British Airways is to take legal action to try to prevent a cabin crew strike set to begin on 22 December.
BA said it hoped the legal action would "protect customers from the massive stress and disruption" threatened by the 12-day stoppage.BA said it hoped the legal action would "protect customers from the massive stress and disruption" threatened by the 12-day stoppage.
It has highlighted "irregularities" in the strike ballot which it believes makes the outcome of the vote invalid.It has highlighted "irregularities" in the strike ballot which it believes makes the outcome of the vote invalid.
"We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined," BA chief executive Willie Walsh said."We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined," BA chief executive Willie Walsh said.
The airline said it had given the Unite union a deadline of 1400 GMT to call off the strike, but had received no response. BA believes that ballot papers were sent to staff who had already left or were in the process of leaving the airline's employment, and therefore should not have been balloted.
As well as embarking on legal action, BA said managers had been trying to find out how many cabin crew would be willing to come to work as normal, in order to establish how many flights it could run during the strike. The carrier said it had given the Unite union a deadline of 1400 GMT to call off the strike, but had received no response.
As well as embarking on legal action, BA said managers have been trying to establish how many cabin crew would be willing to work normally during the strike.
"We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite," Mr Walsh added."We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite," Mr Walsh added.
"We remain available for talks with Unite at any time without preconditions.""We remain available for talks with Unite at any time without preconditions."