British Airways is reported to be offering staff £200 a day ‘sweeteners’ to break the series of strikes which are scheduled to start on Tuesday of this week.
Talks between BA and trade union Transport and General Workers Uniono will continue today in an attempt to avert Heathrow and Gatwick cabin crew taking industrial action, which starts with a 48-hour walk out tomorrow over the airline’s working practices, pensions and sick leave.
However, BA chief executive Willie Walsh is offering staff £200 a day on top of their normal wages to break the strike and is even putting on transport to bus staff passed intimidating picket lines, the Mail on Sunday claimed.
24-hour security will also be on hand at hotels housing BA staff who plan to work, according to an internal BA memo. While staff will also be allowed to travel to work in their normal clothes and get changed into their uniforms at the airport.
The T&G, which represents 11,000 BA cabin crew staff and organised the industrial action, labelled BA’s payments to encourage staff to work through the strike as “blood money”.
This week’s 48-hour walk out has led to 1,300 flights being cancelled at the two London airports affecting 154,000 passengers and is estimated to cost BA up to £30 million.
Two further three-say strikes are planned for February 5-7 and 12-14.
Talks between the airline and the T&G continued throughout the weekend as BA tried desperately to reach a settlement with the union.
The T&G claim staff are forced to work when ill under a sickness policy introduced 18 months ago.
The union also wants one tier pay and benefits structure, currently staff that joined after 1997 are on less money than those that were already with the company.
It also wants to raise the £10,000 starting salary.