British Airways accused of resorting to union-busting tactics

Around 80 British Airways cabin crew have now been sacked or suspended since the start of their bitter dispute amid claims that the airline was engaged in “union busting”, it was alleged yesterday.

Unite announced it was calling a meeting of its representatives at the company to give details of what it believed was a plan to “eliminate” it from a sizeable part of the organisation.

The row which started out over cost-cutting has grown into a dispute over staff travel concessions and disciplinary action, with little prospect of the deadlock being broken.

Tony Woodley, Unite’s joint leader, said today he remained committed to reaching a settlement, but he accused BA of prolonging the dispute by insisting on “collective punishment” of cabin crew who took part in a wave of strikes earlier this year.

“It is now clear that agreed procedures are being abused for purposes of trying to destroy trade unionism among cabin crew. It was my view from the start that this, not cost reductions, was BA’s real agenda and looking at the company’s recent actions unfortunately I have been proved right,” he said.

BA’s chief executive Willie Walsh has always denied claims that he wanted to “smash” Unite and has pointed out that most of the dozens of cabin crew who have faced disciplinary action have returned to work.