BA talks abandoned as building stormed

Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by British Airways cabin crew ended in disarray tonight after scores of demonstrators stormed the building where the meeting was being held.

Police were called to the headquarters of the conciliation service Acas after members of the Socialist Workers Party managed to get to the 23rd floor where leaders of the Unite union were meeting with BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh.

The talks had to be abandoned amid scenes of chaos as the union officials and Mr Walsh were surrounded by the chanting demonstrators.

Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, angrily remonstrated with the protesters telling them to “shut up”.

But the protesters, many holding up Socialist Workers Party banners, stayed in the building until they were ejected by police officers.

Mr Walsh had to be escorted from the building by police.

Sources said some progress had been made during the meeting before the dramatic interruption.

Mr Woodley said the protesters were not members of Unite and he criticised the way they had broken into the building and interrupted the crucial talks.

Peter Harwood, the chief conciliator at Acas who had been chairing the talks, said he heard a commotion in the reception area and when he went out to investigate he saw 50 or 60 demonstrators.

Mr Harwood said the protesters managed to get into a secure area being used for the negotiations and then surrounded Mr Walsh as he tried to call his colleagues on his mobile phone.

Mr Harwood called the police and then managed to help move Mr Walsh to another floor, away from the demonstrators.

The BA chief executive was then taken out of the building via a rear exit where a car was waiting to take him away.

Mr Harwood said there was no violence involved in the demonstration although he admitted it was “intimidating”.

He said he would be contacting both sides again to try to resurrect the talks, adding that he hoped the surprise interruption was merely an “adjournment”.

The talks lasted more than five hours but Mr Harwood said he was not prepared to say if any progress had been made.