Holiday Rentals News - BA asks staff to work for free in fight for survival

BA asks staff to work for free in fight for survival

British Airways (BA) is asking its staff to work for free. As it fights to survive, BA has emailed over 30,000 employees about unpaid work or leave.

BA workers in the UK have been asked to volunteer for between one week and one month of unpaid work or holiday, reports the BBC. Willie Walsh, the airline's chief executive, has already agreed to sacrifice his £61,000 monthly salary in July.

The airline says that hundreds of its workers have responded positively to the email, although others have spoken out against the plans. "It's a big no. A very big no. Everyone is up in arms. We're not taking it. I'd love to take a month's unpaid leave but I can't afford to do that," a baggage handler at Heathrow told the news agency.

However, Walsh has said that the strategy is necessary and is part for a "fight for survival" for the airline, which last month posted an annual loss of £401m. "I am looking for every single part of the company to take part...in this cash effective way of helping the company's survival plan."

BA first asked its staff to volunteer for unpaid work or leave last month and attracted over 1,000 applicants. The latest email asks that employees put themselves forward for the scheme by the end of June.

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