BA pilots vote in favour of strike
21/02/2008(13:02)
British Airways (BA) pilots have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay regarding BA's proposed launch of a new subsidiary.
The pilots voted 86 per cent in favour of a walkout over claims that BA's new OpenSkies project will employ crew members on lower pay and benefits.
British Air Line Pilots Association (Balpa) represents over 3,000 BA pilots and says there was a 90 per cent turnout at the vote.
The OpenSkies airline will fly passengers from European cities to the US, a move which Balpa says the pilots support.
However, according to the union, the pilots do not support recruitment from outside the company and on lower pay to fill the new positions as they fear the move may be used to decrease their own pay.
Jim McAuslan, general secretary at Balpa, said: "BA pilots are determined not to let the same thing happen to them and to their families. That is why Balpa has drawn a line in the sand.
"BA pilots are saying loud and clear that they will not tolerate what has happened elsewhere."
The union says the pilots want a unified pilot community for both the airline services, with a safeguarding of the BA mainline pilot's pay.
BA has said that no dates for the strike have been set and the outcome of the vote "does not mean a strike is inevitable".
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