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BA cabin crew vote for strike over pay

Xinhua, December 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Thousands of cabin crew working for Britain's main air carrier, British Airways "Mixed Fleet" have voted overwhelmingly in favor of strike action over pay, the trade union Unite announced Wednesday.

The union said 79 percent of the crew that took part in a ballot voted for strike action, saying the dispute was over "poverty pay and broken promises." Overall, 60 percent of members took part in the ballot.

"Unite is urging British Airways to return to the negotiating table and engage with the union in a meaningful way. Otherwise, over 2,500 Unite members who crew long and short-haul routes to dozens of destinations could go on strike after Dec. 21," said a spokesman for Unite.

The union added that since 2010 all British Airways new cabin crew employees have joined the "Mixed Fleet," with pay advertized between 21,000 pounds (26,565 U.S. dollars) and 25,000 pounds "but in reality starting at just over 12,000 pounds plus 3 pounds an hour flying pay." The crew have rejected a 2-percent pay rise offer.

The union said a survey found that half its Mixed Fleet members had taken on second jobs on their days off to make ends meet, with over two thirds going to work unfit to fly because they could not afford to be off sick.

"A massive 84 percent said they had experienced stress and depression since joining BA due to their financial circumstances. Some admitted sleeping in cars between flights because they could not afford the petrol to get home," the union claimed.

Unite spokesman Matt Smith said "Our members have overwhelmingly voted for strike action because British Airways' pay rates are indefensible and the crew are at breaking point. The airline's boss Willie Walsh has pocketed 8.8 million euros (9.4 million U.S. dollars) and the parent company IAG reported profits of 1.4 billion euros."

In addition to pay, Unite cited safety issues such as the shortening of crew training courses, fatigued staff, and that 30 percent of Mixed Fleet crew are inexperienced as they have only been with the company for a year. Endit