BA pilots pledge not to strike

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The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said it was still in dispute with BA over its plans to launch a subsidiary service, OpenSkies, which it claimed would outsource work to non-BA staff on lower pay and worst conditions.

Peace talks broke down last Friday and Balpa had been close to naming strike dates, but the union announced that there will be no disruption over Easter even though the dispute remains unresolved.

General Secretary Jim McAuslan said: "Our row is not with the travelling public who will have worked hard for their Easter break."

Balpa complained that the new service, which will fly passengers from mainland European capitals to the United States, will use BA money, BA planes and is being overseen by senior BA managers but will not use BA pilots.

"Despite Balpa's willingness to accept the cost base proposed by BA for OpenSkies, the company has not been prepared to provide the employment security and career development opportunities which are at the heart of the dispute. Our pilots are fighting for their futures and the well-being of their families. Pilots have contributed to the success of BA for years. Now they are told their work is to be outsourced, jeopardising jobs and careers. These are legitimate and reasonable concerns that the company has not been prepared to address," said Mr McAuslan.

BA pilots voted in a ballot by almost 9-1 in favour of industrial action, threatening their first strike in 30 years.

The union said BA was using European legislation to stop the pilots taking industrial action, said Mr McAuslan, adding: "British Airways should be at the negotiating table and not using European legislation designed to ensure free competition between companies and not to restrict the freedoms of trade unions in industrial disputes.

"We have sought to place this matter before the courts ourselves in order to resolve the question as quickly as possible. This is an unprecedented move by a union and demonstrates the responsible way in which Balpa has approached this."

Balpa said it had been given permission by the courts to extend the 28-day deadline for taking industrial action after a ballot is held, which was due to run out on March 20.