British Airways Dispute Goes To High Court

The union representing British Airways cabin crew has launched a High Court bid to try and stop the airline imposing new contracts on staff.

Unite says the contracts which are being imposed from November 16 will hit pay, terms and conditions for workers at a time when BA is already cutting thousands of jobs and freezing pay.

It wants an injunction stopping the airline from imposing cost-cutting proposals from November 16.

John Hendy QC, speaking for three representative cabin crew, said BA would be in breach of contract by imposing the changes because they were fixed by collective agreements with the unions.

He said those changes would affect the wellbeing of staff and passengers.

BA insists the changes do not alter contractual terms and conditions for individual crew members and will resist the injunction application.

The airline is already facing the threat of strike action over Christmas.

Unite is to ballot more than 13,000 of its members for industrial action, which would start from December 21.

The union has warned that other groups of workers, including check-in and transfer staff, could also become involved in the dispute.

A BA spokesman said the company was seeking to reduce its costs during "very difficult economic conditions".

"We have announced changes to onboard cabin crew numbers to enable us to accept more than 1,000 requests from crew for voluntary redundancy and more than 3,000 requests for part-time working," he said.

"Our announcement followed more than nine months of negotiation and consultation with Unite.

"British Airways is facing very difficult economic conditions and is heading for a second consecutive year of financial losses for the first time in our history."