Crucial talks to avert strike at BA

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The company announced last week that it was cutting 1,700 cabin crew jobs, freezing pay and launching a lower rate of pay and conditions for new starters under cost-cutting plans.

Union sources claimed on Tuesday that BA was also planning up to 1,300 job losses among workers in ticket sales, customer service and terminal support, which could amount to 10% of that workforce, while other changes - such as new rotas - were also being planned.

BA insisted it had previously announced it was planning to cut staff numbers by 3,700, in addition to the reduction of about 2,500 achieved between June 2008 and March 2009.

The talks will be held at the conciliation service Acas, but there were few signs on Tuesday night that an agreement was in sight.

Union leaders made it clear they would have "no alternative" to a strike ballot if the plan to impose changes was not removed.

A union source close to the talks said: "BA seem to be going looking for trouble at the moment. Instead of looking to make discussion or negotiations work, they prefer to force through changes even if it puts them into dispute with most of their workforce.

"We really hope there are wiser heads on the board who may be able to get management to pull back from this destruction strategy."

In a letter to cabin crew members of Unite, joint leaders Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson said the changes, due to be imposed from November 16, constituted a "fundamental attack" on jobs, wages and career prospects.

BA said last week the planned changes would not alter contractual terms and conditions for individual crew members, and would not reduce the number of working crew onboard.