BA chief to meet union leaders

Monday, 28 July 2003 12:00 AM

British Airways chief, Rod Eddington, is to meet with trade union leaders today as part of the company's efforts to resolve recent conflicts with staff.

Mr Edington will today meet with Sir Bill Morris, the leader of the T&G union. The T&G is one of three unions representing staff, and has taken a more moderate position than the GMB. The third union is Amicus, which has called for TUC involvement in the discussions.

The situation has been triggered by last weeks walk out by check in staff caused by concerns about a new swipe card system that they feel is being imposed on them unfairly.

The swipe cards are part of a computerised clocking on system, but many workers are worried about other possible uses of the information stored by the computer. Only checking in staff walked out, although engineers have also expressed their concern.

Heightened tension between the airline and its staff is also fuelled by recent difficulties in arriving at a pay settlement.

The firm has focused heavily on reducing costs after making heavy losses in the immediate aftermath of the terror attacks on the USA. It returned to profit last year, but losses are believed to be mounting again as a result of the recent conflict and the Sars outbreak.

Talks will resume between trade unions and the airline at Acas this week, and they are expected to be tense. Unions are claiming that BA needs a new approach to the talks, whilst BA is suggesting that the future of the company is at stake.

British Airways is aware of the malaise of airlines in the USA, and around the world, and it's chief executive Rod Eddington has called for swift resolution to ensure modernisation goes ahead so as to avoid similar turmoil.

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