BA planning to rehire sacked staff on worse terms, union says

The Unite union has claimed that BA plans to fire the vast majority of its workforce and rehire them on reduced pay and worse terms. BA informed unions last month that it was holding a consultation on as many as 12,000 job cuts. The notice under section 188 of the Trade Union Act means workers could be made redundant as soon as 15 June. Relations between the company’s owner, IAG, and the unions have broken down. BA’s boss, Alex Cruz, wrote a letter to staff on Friday criticising the Unite and the GMB unions for failing to attend consultation meetings to discuss the plans. Balpa, the pilots’ union, had engaged in consultations, the airline said. The unions say they are unable to negotiate with the airline on major job cuts and changes to working conditions while workers are furloughed, as meetings of large groups of people are difficult. Both Unite and GMB are understood to be considering legal action against BA on the basis that a meaningful consultation is impossible during lockdown.<br/>