Brown attack puts pressure on BA strikers

PRESSURE on British Airways cabin crew to call off a series of strikes intensified last night after the Prime Minister said the action was “unjustified” and “deplorable”.

The airline also announced plans yesterday to keep 60% of its customers flying if the stoppages go ahead. A bitter war of words between the airline and Unite increased – with BA claiming chief executive Willie Walsh had waited at the offices of the conciliation services Acas over the weekend for talks but the union failed to turn up.

Unite denied this as “total nonsense” and said it had not been asked to attend talks. Gordon Brown unexpectedly spoke out, calling on Unite to call off its three-day strike due to start on Saturday as well as a four-day walkout from the following weekend.