BA Christmas strikes possible as carrier cuts 1,700 jobs
BA Christmas strikes possible as carrier cuts 1,700 jobs
British Airways (BA) passengers could face travel disruption over Christmas. BA has announced that it is cutting 1,700 cabin crew jobs, leading to fears of strikes.
Unions have expressed their anger at BA's cost-cutting measures, which involve 1,000 voluntary redundancies and 3,000 employees switching from full-time to part-time work. A strike ballot is on the cards, they added, which The Daily Mail speculates could mean holiday chaos over Christmas.
A cabin crew union source told the paper: "This is astonishing. Cabin crew staff are furious. This imposition brings a strike ballot closer." They added that unions had tried to negotiate with BA but the carrier is "intent on confrontation".
As a result of the cuts, a typical Boeing 747 flight will lose one member of cabin crew. BA will also introduce a two year pay freeze on basic wages for cabin crew. The changes at BA will come into effect from next month and the airline has stressed that they are vital for survival.
BA is not the only airline to be making cutbacks.
Ireland's flagship carrier Aer Lingus has also announced it cutting almost 800 jobs and some salaries will be reduced.
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