Unanimous Support from Congress Executive for British Airways Strikers

25 Mar 2010

The Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has unanimously condemned the "disgraceful tactics and behaviour" of British Airways management and called on them to engage immediately with the UNITE trade union to negotiate an acceptable settlement.

Speaking after the meeting, Congress General Secretary David Begg said the dispute at British Airways represented "the classic race to the bottom scenario, which has neither regard nor respect for the workers in the airline who have given total commitment to building and strengthening the company."

Mr Begg said that there should be immediate negotiations with UNITE - the union representing the workers - to forge an acceptable deal. "In the longer-term a negotiated deal is more sustainable than the short-termism of attempting to impose an outcome. It just won't work," he said.

The Congress Executive Council also agreed that Irish unions would ensure that Irish airports would not be used in any attempt to 'break' the BA strike.

 

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