British Airways
British Airways services were severely disrupted by the second round of strikes by cabin crew, which ended on Tuesday 30 March, with rows of BA planes grounded.
The company was forced to spend millions of pounds on leasing aircraft from rival companies in order to provide even a minimal service.
The strike action concluded with a rally outside the headquarters of the TUC. Since then there has been a round of consultation within the cabin crew union branches and between the union leadership of the cabin crew and the national leadership of the Unite union.
In the absence of any movement from management towards resolving this dispute it seems highly likely that further action will be called. Whether this will follow the same pattern as the two previous strike actions or cabin crew will opt for longer action is still unclear. However, some cabin crew on the picket lines spoke about the need for longer strikes to force management to the negotiation table.
In the meantime it appears that the example of BA cabin crew is being followed elsewhere in the world. The union representing cabin crew at the Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific, the Flight Attendants Union (FAU), has threatened industrial action over changes to pay and rostering.
Neil Cafferky
Save Jarvis jobs
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has asked the government to intervene to save the jobs of 1,200 workers employed by the private rail contractor Jarvis which is now in administration.
But the RMT has been told that the administrator, Deloitte, has had no response from the Department of Transport over protecting jobs, while Network Rail has refused the administrator’s requests over the continuation of Jarvis contracts.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “The total cost of the administrator’s Jarvis rescue package would be a tiny fraction of the many billions used to bail out the banks and it would be money that would be easily recouped by the government and Network Rail.
“Instead, as a result of the government refusing to use its legal powers to intervene and ignoring the administrator’s proposals, 1,200 workers will be sacked in a matter of days and their pensions destroyed.”
NSSN Conference
Come to the 2010 National Shop Stewards Network conference to discuss with other trade unionists about how we can work together and support each other in the struggles that working people are facing and will face over the coming year.
Saturday 26 June 11am, South Camden Community School, London NW1 1RG
For more details and to register email [email protected], phone 020 8522 1156 or visit www.shopstewards.net
