British Airways’ mixed fleet cabin crew have announced a further two week strike, which will stretch their long-running pay dispute into the peak summer holidays.
Unite members, who are due to return to work following the current 16-day strike on July 16, will walk out again on July 19 for another fortnight.
BA claimed that it is managing to operate 99.5% of its flights during the present strike and that during the planned walk-out from July 19 it will ‘ensure all our customers reach their destinations’.
However, Unite has launched a legal challenge to BA’s use of nine Qatar Airways’ fleet and crew, which are helping airline to maintain its schedules during the present strike.
The union claims the wet-lease arrangement, which was approved by the Department for Transport, breaches European rules and that not enough time was given for objections.
"Today’s announcement of a further escalation, underlines the determination of our members in their fight for better pay and against British Airways’ bullying behaviour," said Unite’s national officer Oliver Richardson.
In its statement BA said: "It seems extraordinary that a trade union should ask its members to give up their pay and benefits for virtually the whole of July, trying to target the holidays of hard-working families, rather than give those members a chance to settle the central issue of the dispute."
Mixed fleet cabin crew, all based at Heathrow, are paid less than longer standing staff, but BA said Unite should allow its members to vote on a pay offer made two months ago.
