British Airways could face further cabin crew strikes

British Airways could face further planned cabin crew strikes in August as it has been unable to resolve a pay and conditions dispute with its 'mixed fleet' staff.

BA’s mixed-fleet cabin crew announced two more weeks of strike action in the second half of August, in addition to the action taken throughout the whole of July and early part of this month.

The airline, which is owned by International Consolidated Airlines Group, has been accused of punishing workers who took strike action with the removal of bonuses.

In 2010 BA introduced a new cabin crew contract called ‘mixed fleet’, where basic pay starts at what Unite says is £12,192, with £3 an hour flying pay, with Unite estimating an average ‘mixed fleet’ flight attendant earn £16,000, including allowances, per year.

Members of the mixed-fleet have requested fairer pay, with an offer from BA having been swiftly rejected by staff.

“Strike action will continue until the end of August unless British Airways hammers out a deal with Unite to resolve this dispute," said Unite national officer Oliver Richardson.

“The airline needs to get around the negotiating table and start recognising that punishing low paid workers fighting for fairer pay is no way for a 'premium' airline to behave."

Unite claimed BA had made a "half-hearted" offer of reinstating some travel concessions to its cabin crew, and implored it to return with an improved offer.

“In robbing striking workers of hard earned bonuses the airline has sought to sow division and effectively blacklisted workers for taking lawful industrial action,” Richardson added.

“Last week's massive profits show British Airways can afford to tackle poverty pay rates and settle this dispute by dropping its divisive sanctioning of striking cabin crew.”

BA, which has pledged to fly all customers to their destinations, has said new mixed fleet cabin crew working full time receive more than £21,000 "based on pay, allowances, incentive and bonus" in their first year, which the company said was in line with cabin crew at competitor airlines.