BA accused of training staff to act as 'strike breakers'

Thousands of British Airways cabin crew have started voting again on whether to strike in a bitter row over pay, jobs and working conditions.

Members of Unite voted last year to take industrial action and were due to launch a 14-day walkout over Christmas before the airline took legal action to stop the strike.

The new ballot will close on February 22, raising the threat of action from March 1, although the union has ruled out any stoppages over Easter.

Yesterday, Unite said moves by the airline to recruit other staff to take the place of striking cabin crew members could put passengers' safety at risk.

Its assistant general secretary Len McCluskey said: "British Airways needs to get real. Even if it pulls out all the stops between now and February, it is still only going to train 216 strike breakers. With a cabin crew of 13,500, does BA seriously think this handful of inexperienced individuals will be able to operate a service?

"BA would be far better channelling its energies into negotiation than pursuing cynical schemes to break its own skilled and professional workforce."

Unite said it understood that BA planned to run nine training courses for strike breakers, beginning yesterday and concluding with a course on February 6, with half of them dedicated to pilots.

One course will cover those who come from other departments within BA but have expired licences to fly, with the firm assuring these workers that it will ensure their flying licences are restored, it was claimed.

Unite said strike breakers would have only four days training covering basic medical skills, fire security and knowledge of the aircraft. Pilots would cover for striking cabin crew.

BA declined to comment on Unite's claims.