The previous ballot by British Airways Unite union members that opted for a strike has been ruled legally “unsafe” so the body is reballoting members. British Airways challenged the legality of the last vote and informed the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) that the ballot was unlawful and any action taken would be unprotected. The ERS issued a qualification in its report on the ballot, said Unite, which could not call any action because its members would be exposed to sanctions.
Unite's Len McCluskey said its members would not be cowed by “bullying and legal intimidation” and is “immediately setting in hand preparations for a further industrial action ballot on the issues arising from management's breach of agreements and policies of industrial intimidation, including amongst others the withdrawal of staff travel concessions, unjustified and draconian disciplinary sanctions against representatives and other members, the employment of strike-breaking cabin crew on different terms and conditions, the introduction of a new mixed fleet of crew again on different terms, and the intention to degrade union representation arrangements among cabin crew.”
A spokesman for BA said to a UK newspaper that the airline “wrote to Unite and the Electoral Reform Services during the ballot process to draw attention to a number of concerns” and that it will “take every possible step to protect our business and our customers from the threat of strike action”.