Conciliation service ACAS has said it is ready to step in to help settle the dispute between British Airways and cabin crew, as day two of the second five-day strike kicks off.
Last week the airline’s management and staff failed yet again to come to any agreement over the withdrawal of staff travel perks from March’s strikers.
The union Unite said that the strikes have now cost BA around £7m a day. It also says the airline was forced to cancel 100 flights out of Heathrow on Sunday. BA, however, says the strikes have caused much less disruption than Unite had hoped for.
ACAS will attempt to arrange further meetings between the two sides.
Unite holds its annual conference in Manchester this week during which its joint leader Tony Woodley will tell delegates that BA is simply “bullying” them and that continued strike action is just around the corner. The union places the blame for a lack of resolution squarely on the shoulders of BA boss Willie Walsh.
by Dinah Hatch
