Unite To Call In All BA Reps

Unite, is to call a meeting of representatives of all members at the U.K. carrier to discuss the need for a coordinated union response.

The move raises the spectre that other BA workers could take industrial action in support of cabin crew. Unite represents about 25,000 workers at BA, such as baggage handlers, engineers and check-in staff. That figure includes roughly 10,500 cabin crew, who have staged 22 days of strikes in 2010 that have cost BA over GBP150 million.

An expansion of industrial action to other workers remains distant, however. "That is several jumps down the line," a Unite spokesman said.

A dispute over working practices has escalated as British Airways withdrew staff travel concessions from workers who joined strike action and employed disciplinary procedures to sack and suspend crew members, including many union representatives.

About 80 BA staff have been suspended or sacked relating to the dispute for what Unite said often were trivial reasons. Two union representatives recently were suspended simply for attempting to represent other crew facing disciplinary action, Unite said.

"This is no longer a matter for BA cabin crew alone," Unite Joint General Secretary Tony Woodley said in a statement. "If trade unionism is smashed among cabin crew, then we can be sure these methods will be extended to other groups of unionised BA employees."

Tony Woodley said he was calling an early meeting of representatives of all Unite BA members "to discuss the need for a coordinated and concerted union response."

"While it remains my hope that an agreement can be reached with the company, BA's conduct makes it inevitable that we prepare for other outcomes," he added.

Relations between the two sides remain tense and negotiations have been difficult. They have met on numerous occasions in recent months under the auspices of mediator the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.