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BA strike ballot result awaited BA cabin crew back strike action
(about 5 hours later)
British Airways is expected to face fresh threats of strikes by some cabin crew, when the results of a ballot on industrial action are revealed. British Airways passengers face the risk of fresh strikes after cabin crew backed a ballot for industrial action.
About 12,000 members of the Unite union have been voting on whether to take action in a row over jobs, pay and working conditions. Members of the Unite union voted overwhelmingly to take action in a row over jobs, pay and working conditions.
An earlier vote, overwhelmingly in favour of strikes, was deemed illegal. Unite said that 80.7% of the 11,691 ballot papers issued were returned. Of those 78.7% (7,482) supported taking action with 1,789 voting against it.
Unite said it would not be announcing any strike dates as it hoped to continue negotiations with BA.
The union's general secretary Len McCluskey said the ballot result was "a clear indication of the deep sense of grievance that our members feel".
"We can only hope that BA management will now recognise the only way to resolve this is through negotiation, not through litigation and certainly not through intimidation," he said.
Support for the strike was lower than seen in an earlier ballot, which had a higher turnout and which saw 92.4% of those voting backing a strike. However that vote, which would have led to stoppages over Christmas, was deemed illegal by the High Court.
Perks
On Monday, 4,000 pilots at German airline Lufthansa began four days of strike action.On Monday, 4,000 pilots at German airline Lufthansa began four days of strike action.
The carrier has cancelled about 3,000 flights and has warned of delays both domestically and internationally.The carrier has cancelled about 3,000 flights and has warned of delays both domestically and internationally.
Pay freeze BA cabin crew were due to take 12 days of strike action over Christmas but BA won a legal battle to prevent this, after it emerged that the union had balloted members who were no longer at the airline.
In a current poll by Unite's cabin crew branch, two-thirds of those responding have backed a 12-day strike. Legally, the union must give a week's notice if it plans to take action - meaning strikes could begin from the first week of March.
The British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association (BASSA) has 11,000 members, 4,000 of which have voted in the online poll.
Many BA staff were unhappy with the 12-day strike proposed in the first Unite ballot in December, feeling it was too long.
However, even a vote for action by Unite members would not necessarily lead to strikes, BASSA said.
"We don't want to strike," said spokesperson Ken Ablard. "All we want is for BA to negotiate and not impose".
Public criticism
Staff have been voting for two weeks in the ballot whose result will be announced at 1700 GMT on Monday.
The cabin crew voted by more than nine to one in favour of strikes in December and union officials expect another resounding "yes" vote.
They were due to take 12 days of strike action over Christmas but BA won a legal battle to prevent this, after it emerged that the union had balloted members who were no longer at the airline.
Legally, the union must give a week's notice if it plans to take action - meaning strikes could begin from March 1.
Unite has already pledged that there will not be stoppages over the Easter period.Unite has already pledged that there will not be stoppages over the Easter period.
BA has already threatened to take away generous travel perks for workers who do strike.BA has already threatened to take away generous travel perks for workers who do strike.
BBC transport correspondent Richard Scott said it would be interesting to see whether negative media coverage, criticism from the public over its Christmas strike plans and the threatened loss of perks, would make a difference to the result of the ballot.
Cutting costsCutting costs
In November, BA reduced the number of cabin crew on long haul flights from 15 to 14 and brought in a two-year pay freeze from 2010.In November, BA reduced the number of cabin crew on long haul flights from 15 to 14 and brought in a two-year pay freeze from 2010.
The airline has also proposed new contracts for fresh recruits and newly-promoted staff. These include a single on-board management grade, no seniority, promotion on merit, and pay set at the market rate plus 10%.The airline has also proposed new contracts for fresh recruits and newly-promoted staff. These include a single on-board management grade, no seniority, promotion on merit, and pay set at the market rate plus 10%.
This would still see new recruits paid significantly less than current staff, however.This would still see new recruits paid significantly less than current staff, however.
On Friday, a High Court judge ruled that BA was within its rights to make the changes to save money.On Friday, a High Court judge ruled that BA was within its rights to make the changes to save money.
The union had claimed it was not consulted properly, but the judge said the "less-than-extreme changes" including freezing pay and cutting crew on long-haul flights, were not unreasonable.The union had claimed it was not consulted properly, but the judge said the "less-than-extreme changes" including freezing pay and cutting crew on long-haul flights, were not unreasonable.
The changes are all part of cost-cutting measures at the loss-making airline.The changes are all part of cost-cutting measures at the loss-making airline.
Earlier this month, British Airways announced it made a pre-tax loss of £50m ($79m) in the three months to December 2009, down from the £122m it lost a year earlier.Earlier this month, British Airways announced it made a pre-tax loss of £50m ($79m) in the three months to December 2009, down from the £122m it lost a year earlier.