A nine-day strike by British Airways cargo workers is to go ahead from Christmas Day after talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions.
The employees, mainly based at Heathrow, faced “deep cuts” to their pay of between £5,000 and £11,000 a year, as well as inferior conditions, according to the Unite union.
BA said half of cargo workers’ salaries would rise, with no-one else taking more than a 10 per cent pay cut. Strike action will begin on Friday and cease on January 2, with the union not picketing at Heathrow because of the coronavirus crisis.
Assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: “Unite has given British Airways numerous chances to resolve this dispute and it has repeatedly failed to grasp the opportunity. As a result Unite members have no option but to go ahead with the planned strike action.
“The strike action will cause huge disruption to British Airways’ ability to bring cargo into the UK.
“Once again the company have decided to resurrect its ‘fire and rehire’ policies and target a group of employees who have continued to work throughout the pandemic bringing much need supplies to the UK and revenue to BA.”
BA said in a statement: “Our offer would see almost half of cargo workers’ salaries rise, with no-one else taking more than a 10 per cent pay cut. We want to resolve this, and urge the union to get back around the table.”
