BA crew support ending industrial action

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Car Rental News - 23/06/2011

 

Employees at British Airways are backing an agreement to settle the long-running industrial dispute.

Cabin crew at British Airways have given their backing to an agreement aimed at finally settling the protracted industrial dispute with the carrier. According to their union, Unite, members have voted 92 per cent to accept the deal, described by the union as an ‘honourable settlement’.

The agreement between Unit and the airline was originally announced on 12 May but had to wait for cabin crew to demonstrate their backing for the deal in a union ballot. The industrial dispute is now nearly two years old.

Since strikes were first launched in this dispute, the airline has endured 22 days of industrial action. Though the dispute originated over pay and working conditions, much of the disagreement has been over BA’s treatment of union members who took part in the initial strikes.

Under the latest agreement, staff will receive a two-year wage deal offering up to 7.5 per cent. British Airways has also agreed to restore travel perks it withdrew from employees who took part in industrial action.

The pay deal will award staff a 4-per-cent pay hike this year. Next year, they will be due a 3.5-per-cent increase. The pay increases are linked to proposed changes in productivity.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said the union had always ‘firmly believed’ the dispute would be solved through negotiation rather than conflict. The airline has not commented on the agreement.

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