Thousands of BA staff find out their future today
Thousands of British Airways staff will find out today whether they have a future with the airline or whether they will lose their jobs.
The airline said it is trying to protect as many jobs as possible, but unions have claimed the mass redundancies are unlawful.
BA announced in April that it would cut up to 12,000 jobs after suffering a huge financial hit as a result of the pandemic grounding flights, and it has written to employees, including cabin crew, engineers and airport staff.
The PA news agency understands that around 40% of cabin crew, generally those at the lower end of the pay scale, will receive a small increase in their salary.
Others will see their basic pay cut by 20%, although many claim their total earnings will be reduced by as much as 50% due to other changes to the terms and conditions of their jobs.
Trade union Unite, which represents thousands of British Airways staff including cabin crew and engineers, has accused the airline of ‘industrial thuggery’.
Last week, BA cabin crew threatened to strike over the airline’s controversial ‘fire and rehire’ policy, while pilots’ union BALPA negotiated a deal for its members.
BA said in a statement: "Our half year results, published last week, clearly show the enormous financial impact of Covid-19 on our business.
"We are having to make difficult decisions and take every possible action now to protect as many jobs as possible.
"And, while we never could have anticipated being in a position of making redundancies, more than 6,000 of our colleagues have now indicated that they wish to take voluntary redundancy from BA."
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Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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