British Airways' cabin crew union has warned of a second wave of strikes after 14 April if their dispute with the carrier remains unresolved.
The Unite union has today confirmed two strike periods, spanning seven days, this month.
British Airways says it is "extremely disappointed" over the decision, and says that - despite the union's assertion that it would not strike during the Easter holiday period - the industrial action, just days before Easter, will result in "massive disruption" to travel plans.
"Unite's action has no shred of justification," says BA, reiterating that its changes to work practices - the source of the dispute - have been ruled as valid and reasonable by the UK's High Court.
Unite's lead negotiator over the dispute, Len McCluskey, says the union put forward a "remarkable" offer which would have "given the company everything it said it wanted, while also meeting our members' concerns".
But BA says that its working changes save the airline more than £60 million ($91 million) per year, and that Unite's counter-proposals fall "significantly short" of that figure.
"We have made clear we would consider refinements of the changes, provided any additional cost was offset by other adjustments in the cabin crew budget," says the carrier, adding that the union's plan would reduce crew members' pay and benefits.
"These proposals lack credibility, and Unite did not inform crew of them when it asked them to vote for a strike."
Unite is to put a new BA offer to cabin crew, through a consultative ballot to be held before the first planned strike date.
While the union is not recommending this offer to members, it says: "Should that ballot show a majority in favour of the company's offer, then all the strike action announced today will, of course, be cancelled."
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
