The heads of British Airways and trade union Unite met at the end of last week in an effort to head off the threat of a strike next month.
The meeting between BA chief executive Keith Williams and Unite general secretary Len McCluskey came as the airline’s pilots voted overwhelmingly in favour of a two-year pay deal that includes a productivity-related rise in the second year.
BA is attempting to shift all staff on to agreements that relate pay rises o productivity and is recruiting new cabin crew at Heathrow on different terms and conditions to existing crew.
Cabin crew members of Unite are voting in the latest of a series of strike ballots that could lead to renewed walk-outs in April, following 22 days of strikes last spring. However, Williams said he was hopeful of reaching a deal to settle the two-year dispute after the meeting with McCluskey.
Williams described the meeting as “positive” and said: “I’ve met with plenty of cabin crew and the majority of them want to see this dispute over.”
Talks are expected to continue this week.
However, BA has previously said it would not budge on an issue at the centre of the continuing dispute – its disciplinary action against some of the staff who took part in action last year.
The airline also recently confirmed to Travel Weekly that former BA boss Willie Walsh – now chief executive of parent companyInternational Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) – remains in overall charge of negotiations with Unite.
Elements within Unite had viewed Williams take-over at the top of BA as a chance to reach a more favourable settlement, although new general secretary McCluskey has taken a harder line in his statements than predecessor Tony Woodley.