BA talks with unions collapse

Wednesday, 23 July 2003 12:00 AM

Travellers are facing the prospect of more strikes disrupting air travel over the summer, after talks between British Airways and its staff's unions broke down over the introduction of a controversial new clocking-on system.

The collapse of negotiations follow unofficial walk-outs by BA staff on Friday, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed and passengers stranded at Heathrow for hours on end.

Although Amicus, the T&G and the GMB unions have not commented yet on official ballots on industrial action, the London branch of the GMB has indicated its intention to ballot members on strike action.

All three national unions have urged their members against unofficial wildcat actions like Friday's.

BA has still not cleared the backlog of delays caused by Friday's walkout.

Chief executive Rod Eddington has acknowledged that the dispute will cost BA 'tens of millions of pounds', but defended the replacement of the paper check-in system with the electronic one as a necessary modernisation.

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