BA make offer to unions to avert airports strike

British Airways management today offered a way out of the baggage handlers and check-in staff dispute which is threatening to cause airport chaos later this summer.

BA offered the three unions involved in the row a chance to go to formal and binding arbitration in the hopes of averting a damaging stoppage.

The offer came after the conclusion of further talks at the conciliation service Acas.

The three unions involved are the GMB, the Transport and General Workers’ Union and Amicus.

Members of the GMB at BA have already been asked to support a campaign of industrial action, while the TGWU has said that more than 8,000 workers will vote on strike action over the next few weeks.

Around 4,500 baggage handlers at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, and 3,700 check-in workers at the same airports plus Glasgow, are due to vote over the next two weeks.

British Airways director of customer services and operations Mike Street said today: “Arbitration will allow our customers to book in confidence with the knowledge that their summer travel plans will not be disrupted.

“We hope that the unions will support our initiative as a genuine opportunity to resolve our differences without the need for disruption for our customers, our employees and our company.”