British Airways pilots would be among the highest-paid workers ever to strike if they go through with plans to stage a crippling walkout in the heart of the summer holidays, insisting that a £20,000 pay rise over three years is not enough.
HIGHLIGHT
- BA pilots union Balpa is still locked in talks with the company over pay rises.
- Captains are paid an average of £167,000 but want an increased share of profits.
- One pilot said the staff was unhappy at having to stay in four- not five-star hotels.
- A strike would be hugely disruptive during the summer peak and cost £40m a day.
Proposed industrial action by pilots union Balpa could see more than 4,000 pilots strike at the heart of the summer holiday, paralyzing the carrier and causing misery for tens of thousands of passengers a day.
BA, whose captains earn an average of £167,000, has offered an above-inflation deal worth 11.5 percent over three years but pilots are demanding a bigger cut of the company’s profits.
Talks at Acas, the conciliation service, were ongoing on Thursday after the Court of Appeal rejected BA’s application for an injunction.
If an agreement cannot be reached on Friday, strikes could begin on August 17, as the union is required to give two weeks’ notice of any action. The deal was accepted by Unite and GMB unions.
Three years ago, BA pilots accepted a pay deal that was around a third lower than the current offer on the table, the airline said.