Walsh: No compromise on strikers' travel perks

British Airways’ boss Willie Walsh stood firm today over the airline’s decision to withdraw travel perks from striking cabin crew as the company made final preparations to deal with a fresh walkout.

Mr Walsh said staff knew they would lose their travel concessions if they joined the three-day walkout last weekend.

Unite has accused BA of “unacceptable anti-union bullying” by taking away the travel perks, but Mr Walsh denied this.

A four-day strike will start at midnight tonight, but Mr Walsh said there were no plans for fresh talks with the union to try to resolve the bitter row over jobs and cost-cutting.

The union has insisted that any peace deal must now include giving back travel concessions to cabin crew, as well as reinstating a number of staff who have been suspended as a result of the dispute.

Speaking on BBC television, Mr Walsh said the strikers knew their perks would stop and he would not “compromise” on this issue.

Mr Walsh rejected suggestions that the withdrawal of concessions was a “punishment” or attempt to “break the union”, adding: “We told them about the consequences if they went on strike.”

Mr Walsh said he remained available for talks, adding that he had met TUC general secretary Brendan Barber earlier this week.

The BA chief executive also denied claims by a group of 116 industrial relations experts that he was union-busting.

In a letter to the Guardian newspaper, the academics said they could find no other reason for his stance in the industrial dispute with Unite.

A Unite spokesman said: “We remain in touch with the TUC regarding the possibility of talks but nothing is planned at present.

“All BA strike-breaking statistics should not be regarded as credible after last weekend’s smokescreen.”

BA has said it will run more flights this weekend than during the last strike, although services will still be disrupted, especially at Heathrow.