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BA cabin crew vote for industrial action

British Airways cabin crew have voted in favour of industrial action in protest over a new performance review scheme.

Members of the 8,800-strong British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association (BASSA), a section of the Unite union, voted by a majority of 91% for industrial action short of a strike.

Cabin crew claim the new performance management scheme is a “needless replacement” for an existing system

They are concerned that its introduction masks a hidden agenda of future job losses which will hit passenger service on the premium carrier, according to the union.

Unite said it would not be announcing the dates of industrial action until discussions take place with its BASSA representatives.

The action will include non-completion of specific performance management processes

Unite called on BA to rethink the introduction of its ‘dashboard’ performance management scheme that includes staff league tables and red warning lights if a cabin crew member’s performance has been rated as low

The airline says such systems are common in all industries and help improve staff performance

Unite regional officer Matt Smith said: “Our members have voted overwhelmingly against the introduction of this flawed dashboard scheme.

“The BA management should note the enormous strength of feeling against this policy with what, we suspect, is a hidden agenda of future job losses. A perfectly adequate performance management policy already exists.

“It is completely unfair to expect them to be placed in a league table, competing against each other, over on board issues that are clearly out of their control.

“Hopefully, on the back of this result, BA will reflect and realise this new costly appraisal system that creates this amount of unhappiness in its employees has clearly already failed.

“Cabin crew time spent on these wasteful performance schemes is crew time not giving passengers value for money in a highly competitive premium market.

“Ironically, customers may see an improvement in service to passengers during this action. We hope those on board will appreciate we are making a stand whilst managing to avoid unnecessary disruption to them as valued passengers.”

BA said: “We can reassure our customers that they will experience no inconvenience as a consequence of this ballot result. Unite has been clear from the start that it would not take strike action.

“The system we have recently introduced includes feedback from customers about how they are looked after onboard. This sort of feedback is common in all industries and enables us to commend cabin crew who perform well and support those that need to improve.

“A similar system already exists for many crew. It allows us to offer our customers the very highest standards of service. We remain open to discussions with our cabin crew and their union representatives about this new system.”

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