Following a vote by the cabin
crews of British Airways to strike for 12 days over the Christmas and New
Year’s holidays, a High Court justice granted an injunction blocking the
strike. The strike was called in response to recent job cuts and changes in
work rules. While preparing for the strike, the union made it clear that it
wants talks with British Airways to continue and is willing to meet at any time.
It says it will challenge the court decision.
British Airways’ chief executive,
Willie Walsh, stated that the decision to go on strike displayed “a lack of
concern for our customers,” but the company will not compromise on the
central issues of the dispute, which involve cabin work rules. Like most
companies, BA wants the workers to bear the burden of the economic crisis. They
also tried pitting workers from different fields against each other by blaming
the strikers for interrupted flights. An injury to one, is an injury to all.
All workers must stick together!
