British Airways and Unite must reach the basis of a deal within seven days to end the threat of a strike by cabin crew over Easter. Leaders of trade union Unite have until Sunday to announce industrial action in line with legal requirements following a ballot concluded on March 28.
They need to name the dates of any action within seven days of that deadline – making Easter Monday the latest a strike could commence – or forfeit the right to strike without yet another ballot.
The dispute centres on disciplinary action and sanctions against crew who took part in 22 days of strikes last spring over the imposition of new in-flight working arrangements.
BA and Unite negotiators will meet this week amid hopes of a settlement, with BA having engaged an outside facilitator to attempt to rebuild trust between the sides. Union leaders are understood to be prepared to call off the threat of action without a formal agreement in place.
A report in The Observer newspaper suggested the absence of former BA chief executive Willie Walsh from the talks – he now heads BA parent company, the International Airlines Group – and of former Unite leader Tony Woodley has made the talks easier.
However, Walsh remains in charge of negotiations with the union while current Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has publicly argued in favour of strikes and raised fresh complaints about BA management behaviour.
BA cabin crew members voted 83% in favour of fresh action although the turn out and a fall in overall membership levels meant around half of cabin crew said yes to strikes in the latest ballot.
The airline insists it will maintain a full long-haul operation from Heathrow as well as full services to and from Gatwick and London City in the event of further action by cabin crew.