Pilots, Cabin And Ground Crews Say They Will Stage Actions Over Christmas

Travelers at airports across the U.K. could face some serious problems over the Christmas holidays.

Virgin Atlantic pilots represented by the Professional Pilots Union (PPU) voted strongly to suspend "pilot goodwill" beginning December 23, according to the U.K. newspaper The Telegraph. Pilots who belong to the union will work "strictly to contract" beginning on that date. In a statement, the PPU said it is "possible that this may leave some flights not covered for the duration of any action, which has the potential to continue indefinitely."

The PPU represents some 70 percent of the pilots at Virgin Atlantic.

The PPU announcement comes as workers at Swissport, the world’s largest ground and cargo handler, said they plan to go on strike for two days on 23 and 24 December, according to Unite the Union.

Over 1,500 check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew, members of Unite, the country’s largest union, will walk out for 48 hours at a minute past midnight Friday, December 23 in a long-running pay dispute, and plans to seriously erode terms and conditions.

Unite on Friday called on the management to take part in constructive negotiations under the auspices of the conciliation service, Acas in a bid to avoid Christmas travel disruption at the UK’s airports.
 
Unite members voted by 62.5 per cent to reject a 4.65 per cent three year pay deal for 2015-2017, which the union argues, is barely keeping pace with inflation. The staff are also angry that detrimental changes to terms and conditions have been linked to the pay deal.

The changes include freezing overtime payments for the foreseeable future and restructuring pay.

“We appreciate that this is a very busy time of year at the UK’s airports and that’s why we are calling for the company to engage in constructive talks under the auspices of Acas to resolve this dispute. Unite’s door is open 24/7 for such talks," said Unite national officer for civil air transport Oliver Richardson. “Our members are only taking this industrial action as a last resort in a bid to reach a fair settlement – our members have not had a pay rise since 2014.

“When you break down the headline figures – one per cent in 2015, 1.25 per cent in 2016 and 2.4 per cent in 2017 – they are barely keeping up with inflation.

“The company only wants these increases to be applicable to basic pay and not the other elements that make up ‘pay’ such as overtime.

“The dispute has been compounded by the high-handed attitude of the management in making proposals that would seriously impact the workforce’s terms and conditions, such as freezing overtime payments.”

Meanwhile, the union on Sunday said talks were scheduled Monday with British Airways cabin crews. “I am delighted that British Airways has heeded our calls for talks. It is only by getting round the table that we can find a solution to my members’ concerns.
 
“Given the huge profits BA’s parent company made last year, the mixed fleet’s calls for a living wage and for equal treatment at work and in their pay packets must be heard."

Nearly 80 per cent of the crew that took part in a strike vote last week voted for strike action. The strike would mean that over 2,500 Unite members who crew long and short-haul routes to dozens of destinations could go on strike after the 21st December. The Daily Mail reports that the cabin crews had set December 25-26 for their walkout.

FMI: www.theppu.co.uk, www.unitetheunion.org