British Airways avoids Christmas strike
While British Airways is said to be in talks with the Unite union about averting the proposed 12 day strike action over Christmas, the company has won a reprieve in the courts forcing the union to hold another ballot before being able to press ahead with the strike action. However, such a ballot cannot be held until the end of January at the earliest therefore the company has managed to avert the potentially disastrous strike action planned over the festive period.
The situation is slightly more complicated by the fact that British Airways is also due in court on 1 February regarding an action by the union and a ruling as to whether various changes to working practices abide by existing contracts. However, in the short term there is hope that the Unite union and the British Airways management can come to some kind of medium to long-term agreement which would avert any strike action in the early months of 2010.
The two parties have been at loggerheads for some time now and while both parties understand the severity of the situation for the company, they have both dug their heels in over the last few months. Hopefully, commonsense will prevail and an amicable agreement can be reached.
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