British Airways: Union shows contempt for million passengers

Published on Wednesday 16 December 2009 21:42

A DECISION in the legal action brought by British Airways in an attempt to prevent a series of crippling Christmas strikes is expected to be given by a High Court judge this afternoon.

Mrs Justice Cox, sitting in London, is hearing BA's application for an injunction to block the action by thousands of cabin crew. It is challenging Unite's ballot of its 12,500 cabin crew members, claiming that some workers who had left the company took part in the voting.

The judge began hearing submissions from BA's QC, Bruce Carr, yesterday and he will also hear argument on behalf of the union, which is contesting the application.

Mr Carr told the judge the balloting process contained "serious and substantial irregularities".

Opening his case in a packed courtroom, Mr Carr said: "With what appears to be withering contempt for the interests and concerns of over one million passengers and those whom they wish to visit over Christmas, Unite has induced strike action over the most important two weeks of the year for the travelling public.

"The disregard for the plans of those passengers and many millions of others affected by any strike action, and the recognition of the sensitivity of the deliberate timing, is highlighted by the decision to make the disruption last for the 12 days of Christmas," he said. "BA has therefore brought this action to protect its passengers against these wilful, disproportionate and clearly unlawful actions."

Strike action would deprive millions of people of a happy Christmas and cause "maximum pain" for passengers, he said.

The strike is due to start next Tuesday.

Mr Carr said the consequences for BA of a strike over Christmas would be "financially disastrous", while all Unite had to do was "reballot and get it right this time".

He added that 811 people, who will have gone by the time of the strike, were included in the ballot and, as the union membership was in the region of 90 per cent, a reasonable assumption was that 700-odd of those were union members.

Opening Unite's case, John Hendy, QC, said inevitably when there was a strike, there was damage to the employer and almost inevitably to the public.

Unite regretted the position and had sought a negotiated solution, but BA's "intransigence" had compelled members to act.

Mr Hendy said the fact of the matter was that the BA employees were entitled to exercise their right to strike. He added: "The solution to this issue lies in BA's hands."

Meanwhile, airport baggage handlers and check-in staff are set to launch a series of 48-hour strikes next week in a row over pay, it was announced yesterday.

Unite said workers at Heathrow and Aberdeen airports, who were employed by SAS Ground Services, would take action from 22 December, with further walkouts planned on Boxing Day and 3 January.

The stoppages will hit travellers on Turkish, Emirates and Thai airlines at London Heathrow and KLM, Air France, Wideroe and Atlantic at Aberdeen, said Unite.