A number of pilots at British Airways will take industrial action on September 9th and 10th.
The pilots’ union says it has put forward a new proposal in a letter to British Airways chief executive, Alex Cruz, in a bid to come to a deal with the company.
The strikes, voted in favour by 93 per cent of British Airline Pilots Association’s British Airways members, could still go ahead if the airline continues to refuse meaningful discussions.
British Airline Pilots Association general secretary, Brian Strutton, said: Our members’ resolve is very strong, and they remain very angry with British Airways, but they also want to leave no stone unturned in trying to find a resolution to their dispute.
We urge British Airways to join us to discuss the new proposal which shows pilots are willing to be flexible but still stand united in getting a better deal.
British Airways has rejected the British Airline Pilots Association understanding of the situation.
A statement from the airline said: We do not believe the union is acting in good faith by making an 11th-hour inflated proposal which would cost an additional £50 million.
The union was acting cynically by waiting until a late stage when the airline had already made arrangements to manage the industrial action, the carrier added.
Our customers need the certainty that British Airline Pilots Association will call off the strikes for good, not just for two days next week, the airline said.
Another day of strike action is scheduled for September 27th.
British Airways on Thursday dismissed a proposal by a pilots union to avoid strike action next week as unrealistic, leaving it little closer to resolving a dispute over pay with its pilots that could disrupt its services.
Earlier the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) had said that BA pilots could call off proposed strikes set for Sept. 9 and 10 if the airline agreed to come back to the negotiating table.
But British Airways said the new BALPA proposal would cost an additional £50 million and slammed the union’s new and unrealistic demands. No further talks between the sides are planned at the moment.
We remain open to constructive talks with BALPA to resolve the pay negotiations, but we do not believe the union is acting in good faith by making an eleventh hour inflated proposal, the airline said in a statement.
BALPA said last month that the pilots would go on strike for three days in September in a dispute over pay that could disrupt the peak holiday season.
The pilots overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in July and the airline, which is part of IAG, failed in a court bid to stop them.
BALPA has said that British Airways should share more of its profits with its pilots. The union has also given notice to the airline that it will call on its members to strike on Sept. 27.
Our members’ resolve is very strong and they remain very angry with BA, but they also want to leave no stone unturned in trying to find a resolution to their dispute, BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said.
Avoiding strike action and agreeing a deal with their pilots surely must be the desired outcome for British Airways.
British Airways has said the strike action was unjustifiable as its pay offer was fair and that the strikes would destroy the travel plans of tens of thousands of customers.
The airline said in August it was exploring options to supplement its fleet with aircraft and crew from other airlines, a practice known as wet-leasing, and working with partner airlines to schedule larger aircraft to take more customers.
BALPA has cynically waited until we have helped the vast majority of customers with alternative travel arrangements, and our planning for a strike has reached a critical stage, British Airways said.
Our customers need the certainty that BALPA will call off the strikes for good, not just for two days next week.
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