British Airways has called an emergency meeting on November 2, 2009 to decide whether the cabin crew should fight the airlines’ plans to cut jobs and freeze pay on certain positions during the economic crisis. According to the Andover Advertiser, thousands of workers are expected to show up at the meeting at the Sandown Racecourse in Surrey – about two weeks before the planned cuts – to decide how to fight against the imposed changes.
The two former sections of the Transport and General Workers Union, the Bassa and the Cabin Crew 89, are teaming up together for the first time in over 20 years to hold this meeting. Meeting organizers are encouraging all members of the cabin crew to attend so they can voice their complaints. There are currently 14,000 cabin crew members of the union, and many will face big changes as their jobs and wages become jeopardized.
Union leaders have already issued a letter to the airlines stating that British Airways will forever lose their international reputation as a premier airline with a premier crew if they go ahead with the proposed job cuts and wage drops. Union members say they understand that the airline industry is experiencing tough times, but they find these types of actions unacceptable, given British Airways’ high reputation in the industry. The union believes that British Airways is offering inferior contracts and is not meeting the needs of its hardworking employees.
The union is asking British Airways to remove the threat of imposition, or the union will pursue an immediate mandate from British Airways in a ballot for industrial action.
