Fresh strike ballot plans for BA staff 'at advanced stage'

Members of the Unite union walked out for the 22nd day yesterday in the long-running dispute which has cost the carrier more than 150m, with further action threatened for the summer unless the deadlock is broken.

Union assistant general secretary Len McCluskey told a noisy rally of strikers near Heathrow airport that the "fight for justice" would continue, adding that preparations for a fresh ballot were at an advanced stage.

He said the blame for the continuing instability at the airline must be placed "firmly" at the door of BA management's "tough guy" stance.

The joint general secretary of Unite, Derek Simpson, said earlier the sticking point in the long-running row was now a "silly one", about the removal of travel concessions from those who have taken action.

Mr Simpson said there had been movement on the original cause of the dispute – cost-cutting – leaving the removal of travel concessions as the sticking point.

He said: "It makes you wonder why British Airways is continuing to make this an issue. We are still trying very hard to get a settlement, but Willie Walsh, having put himself in a corner, is desperate not to settle.

"There will be another ballot and the outcome of that will determine what we do."

The airline's chief executive, Willie Walsh, has announced cuts in business and first-class fares, pledging to "keep the flag flying" throughout the summer.

Both sides continued to clash yesterday over the impact of the strikes, with BA insisting it was running 80 per cent of long-haul flights from Heathrow despite the industrial action, while Unite claimed that BA failed to operate 43 per cent of its reduced schedule yesterday.

BA maintained it ran more services during the current five-day walkout, saying more crew had turned up for work.

A number of striking cabin crew told MPs yesterday there was a "climate of fear" at the airline, as they explained their side of the row.

Unite said about 60 crew members had now been suspended and eight sacked in recent weeks, mainly for "trivial reasons", and has accused the airline of a "crackdown" on union members.

BA has strongly denied the charge, maintaining it was duty-bound to follow its disciplinary code.

The airline has been aiming to operate around 80 per cent of long-haul flights from Heathrow despite the strikes, up from 70 per cent and 60 per cent in the past two strike periods, and 60 per cent of short-haul flights, up from 55 per cent and 50 per cent.

Chief executive Willie Walsh said: "We recognise that some may be concerned about the possibility of future disruption but it is our intention to keep flying 100 per cent of our long-haul operation throughout the coming months."