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| Unite accuses BA in strike talks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Unite union has accused British Airways of refusing to hold talks with its leadership over a Christmas strike by cabin crew. | |
| A Unite spokesman told the BBC that BA had approached the TUC to discuss the dispute, but did not want Unite representatives present. | |
| BA is in court later to seek an injunction to stop the 12-day strike, due to begin on 22 December. | |
| Unite has criticised the move as a symptom of BA's "macho management". | |
| A spokesman for the TUC said the body was making no comment on the dispute between BA and Unite, but pointed out that it had mediated in the last dispute in 2007 and would be prepared to do so again. | |
| I have been working for BA for 20 years, and I have never known morale to be so low Lou - Cabin Crew BA Christmas strikes: Staff reaction How else to get around Q&A: Advice for passengers What's at stake at BA? What the dispute is about | |
| BA said it hoped legal action currently being pursued 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. | |
| 'Appalling and unjustified' | 'Appalling and unjustified' |
| The airline claims Unite is in "clear breach" of the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations Act. | The airline claims Unite is in "clear breach" of the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations Act. |
| Meanwhile BA has been establishing which staff would continue to work should it fail to get the strike halted through legal action. | Meanwhile BA has been establishing which staff would continue to work should it fail to get the strike halted through legal action. |
| The airline's chief executive Willie Walsh said: "We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite. We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined. | The airline's chief executive Willie Walsh said: "We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite. We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined. |
| "Unite was told about the problems with its ballot on Friday. Yet it cynically went ahead with an extreme, highly-publicised threat to our customers and our business in the knowledge that it might not be able to carry it out. | "Unite was told about the problems with its ballot on Friday. Yet it cynically went ahead with an extreme, highly-publicised threat to our customers and our business in the knowledge that it might not be able to carry it out. |
| "We remain available for talks with Unite at any time without preconditions." | "We remain available for talks with Unite at any time without preconditions." |
| Row continues | |
| Unite announced a 92% vote in favour of strike action in a ballot with an 80% turnout of the union's 12,500 cabin crew members. | Unite announced a 92% vote in favour of strike action in a ballot with an 80% turnout of the union's 12,500 cabin crew members. |
| YouTube footage shows Unite members celebrating BA strike ballot result. Captions not added by BBC. | |
| "Christmas travel on British Airways is being held hostage by a macho management which prefers imposition and confrontation, or even litigation, to negotiation," said Unite joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley. | "Christmas travel on British Airways is being held hostage by a macho management which prefers imposition and confrontation, or even litigation, to negotiation," said Unite joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley. |
| "Last Friday we offered to suspend any industrial action and declare a pause for peace if the company would only agree to suspend its imposition of new terms and conditions on cabin crew. | "Last Friday we offered to suspend any industrial action and declare a pause for peace if the company would only agree to suspend its imposition of new terms and conditions on cabin crew. |
| "Willie Walsh turned this offer down flat. Confrontation, not negotiation, is his approach, even though an industrial dispute will cost the company vastly more money than his projected savings from attacking cabin crew conditions." | "Willie Walsh turned this offer down flat. Confrontation, not negotiation, is his approach, even though an industrial dispute will cost the company vastly more money than his projected savings from attacking cabin crew conditions." |
| At the centre of the dispute is BA's decision to reduce cabin crew numbers and introduce a pay freeze. | At the centre of the dispute is BA's decision to reduce cabin crew numbers and introduce a pay freeze. |
| The union says this will hit passengers as well as its members, but the airline insists it must cut costs to ease its dire financial position. | The union says this will hit passengers as well as its members, but the airline insists it must cut costs to ease its dire financial position. |
| About a million BA passengers are expected to be affected by the strike if it goes ahead. | About a million BA passengers are expected to be affected by the strike if it goes ahead. |
| Are you hoping to fly back to the UK for Christmas? Or do you have plans abroad for the holiday? | Are you hoping to fly back to the UK for Christmas? Or do you have plans abroad for the holiday? |
| Send your comments using the post form below. | Send your comments using the post form below. |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |