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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Unions to hold new BA strike vote | Unions to hold new BA strike vote |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British Airways cabin crew will vote again on possible strike action, the Unite union has announced. | British Airways cabin crew will vote again on possible strike action, the Unite union has announced. |
| Unite said a fresh ballot of its members will be held after recent talks with BA failed to find a resolution to a long-running dispute. | Unite said a fresh ballot of its members will be held after recent talks with BA failed to find a resolution to a long-running dispute. |
| BA said it was "saddened but not surprised" by the decision, but vowed to continue talks. | |
| A strike planned for Christmas last year was blocked after a court granted an injunction, declaring it illegal. | A strike planned for Christmas last year was blocked after a court granted an injunction, declaring it illegal. |
| Unite is in a dispute with BA over changes to cabin crew staffing levels and working conditions. | Unite is in a dispute with BA over changes to cabin crew staffing levels and working conditions. |
| Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite, said that "intensive discussions" with the company had failed to secure an agreement. | |
| "We therefore have to honour our commitment to give our members the voice they were denied by the courts before Christmas, and hold a fresh ballot for industrial action," he said. | "We therefore have to honour our commitment to give our members the voice they were denied by the courts before Christmas, and hold a fresh ballot for industrial action," he said. |
| He added that Unite wanted to see talks with BA continue. | He added that Unite wanted to see talks with BA continue. |
| BA said the decision to call a ballot called into question Unite's "good faith" in recent negotiations which it said were designed to resolve the dispute without disruption. | |
| Ballot problems | Ballot problems |
| Cabin crew voted overwhelmingly for strike action in the previous ballot, leading to the announcement of a 12-day strike over the Christmas period. | Cabin crew voted overwhelmingly for strike action in the previous ballot, leading to the announcement of a 12-day strike over the Christmas period. |
| We will not allow Unite to ruin this airline BA statement | |
| However, problems with the ballot led to the High Court blocking the strike from going ahead. | However, problems with the ballot led to the High Court blocking the strike from going ahead. |
| BA had complained that staff in the process of leaving the company had been balloted, breaching industrial relations law. | BA had complained that staff in the process of leaving the company had been balloted, breaching industrial relations law. |
| Unite said the ballot would begin in a week's time, allowing strike action to begin as early as March. | Unite said the ballot would begin in a week's time, allowing strike action to begin as early as March. |
| It is not certain that cabin crew will vote in favour of a strike for a second time. | It is not certain that cabin crew will vote in favour of a strike for a second time. |
| Following the previous ballot, some union members expressed alarm at the length and timing of the strike - details they said they had not been made aware of before voting. | Following the previous ballot, some union members expressed alarm at the length and timing of the strike - details they said they had not been made aware of before voting. |
| BA announced plans to cut the number of cabin crew on long-haul flights last year as a cost-cutting measure following huge losses at the airline. | BA announced plans to cut the number of cabin crew on long-haul flights last year as a cost-cutting measure following huge losses at the airline. |
| Unite complained that it was not consulted on the move, which it said involved changes to staff contracts. | Unite complained that it was not consulted on the move, which it said involved changes to staff contracts. |
| BA lost more than £400m last year, following the collapse in demand for air travel resulting from the recession. | |
| The airline ruled out backing down in the dispute. | |
| "We will not allow Unite to ruin this airline - and we believe we have the support of our customers and the vast majority of our staff in that objective," it said. |