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BA on war footing as staff vote to strike

Barrie Clement
Thursday 26 June 1997 00:02 BST
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British Airways has drawn up an elaborate plan to break the threatened strike by 9,000 cabin crew which could start within two weeks.

The airline sent a letter to stewards and stewardesses offering to help them cross picket lines and warning strikers that they faced the sack if they took action. Prolonged industrial action could cause chaos to tens of thousands of holidaymakers and business travellers.

The company went on a war footing after union leaders announced a 73 per cent vote in favour of industrial action. Management warned that strikers faced dismissal and that they could be sued for losses incurred by the airline. Those who wanted to continue working were promised protection from militant pickets and offered ways of smuggling themselves into work. In a ploy reminiscent of the miners' and Wapping disputes in the 1980s, strike-breakers were promised secret collection points for coach services. Others will have taxi fares of up pounds 75 paid and those who chose to use their own vehicles were assured that car parks would be guarded.

The airline warned potential strikers that they risked loss of promotion and the option of early retirement. Free and cut-price travel, the main perk of the job worth thousands of pounds a year, could also be at risk.

A document seen by The Independent shows that management has been planning to undermine union power for at least eight years.

Senior management formed a secretive committee called "The Miners' Group" with the express intention of encouraging the kind of split in the BA workforce that led to the formation of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers which defied the 1984 pit strike. The clandestine grouping reported to Robert Ayling, who was then human resources director, but is now chief executive.

In the words of the confidential memorandum, management planned to reduce "the hold of trade union power over cabin crew members" at a time when Cabin Crew '89 split away from the Transport and General Workers' Union. Cabin Crew '89 members - who number about 3,000 compared to 9,000 in the TGWU - will be expected to cross picket lines if the strikes go ahead.

Management's plans to prepare the business for the new millennium, which entail savings of pounds 1bn, would not be held back by 1970s-style trade unionism, said Mr Ayling.

George Ryde, national official of the transport union, said he expected that 9,000 groundstaff, involved in a separate dispute over BA's plans to sell its catering division, would vote by a similar majority for strikes.

Flights that face disruption

Services which could be affected by strikes:

"Mainline" BA services. All BA flights from Heathrow. All inter-continental flights from Gatwick. Programme of 24- and 48-hour strikes likely from 7 July.

Not affected:

Domestic and European services from Gatwick.

Regional services from Manchester, Birmingham and Scotland.

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