BA: 6,000 Volunteers Vow To Help Beat Strike

9:29am UK, Thursday March 04, 2010

Ed Merrison, Sky News Online

British Airways boss Willie Walsh has ramped up the pressure on unions, saying 6,000 staff have volunteered to step in and keep the airline operating in the event of a strike.

The airline's chief executive said 1,000 volunteers have already completed their training as cabin crew replacements.

His words, delivered via webcast on the company's intranet, pose a challenge to union representatives who are fighting changes to working practices imposed by BA in November.

The Unite union immediately hit back, calling Mr Walsh's stance "inflammatory and confrontational".

The airline's defiant rhetoric comes a week after more than 80% of cabin crew members of Unite voted to go ahead with industrial action.

Mr Walsh said if a strike were launched, the airline could still operate all long haul and 50% of short haul flights out of Gatwick.

BA has also lined up leasing agreements with other airlines and is ready to block book seats with rivals in order to cater for affected passengers.

BA boss Willie Walsh

Mr Walsh also repeated his threat that staff perks will be permanently removed from anyone who walks out.

Len McCluskey, Unite's assistant general secretary, said: "It is deeply regrettable that BA's CEO has chosen to adopt this inflammatory and confrontational stance at a time when we are engaged in meaningful talks with the company.

"Again, we say to BA that the only way to resolve the issues before us is through negotiation. They certainly will not be addressed by attempting to intimidate employees."

Unite has until 15 March to declare industrial action, and in the meantime remains in talks with BA, arbitrated by the TUC.

Sky News business correspondent Joel Hills, who broke the story, said Mr Walsh's speech suggested that talks were not progressing well - and that the airline is braced for a showdown.

"Willie Walsh is confident that, in the event of a strike, BA could still operate a significant part of its service," Hills said.

"Very clearly he's laying out that the company's made preparations for industrial action in the event that a negotiated settlement is beyond them."