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British Airways wants ALL staff not laid off to sign new contracts after plans to make up to 12,000 workers redundant
The beleaguered carrier has already announced plans to send up to 12,000 workers 'to the dole' owing to the coronavirus crisis, and warned it may end operations at Gatwick, London City Airport and even Heathrow.
Its Spanish owner, International Airlines Group (IAG), has secured £900million of commercial loans with 70 per cent guaranteed by the Madrid government to prop up Iberia and Vueling during the crisis.
However, it has not taken out loans for BA or sought a bailout from UK authorities. It is thought that this may be in a bid to force other companies out of the UK market.
BA's plan to change staff contracts was reported by The Sun on Sunday, with union leaders fearing employees may be railroaded into the agreement.
Unite's assistant general secretary, Howard Beckett, accused the airline of 'despicable' behaviour while they receive taxpayers' money for furloughed staff.
'It is fairly despicable that BA is threatening to dismiss its entire workforce and then reinstate some of them when they are in receipt of government money to furlough workers and when they have £3billion of cash reserves,' he said.
Unite's national officer for aviation, Oliver Richardson, accused BA of 'smash and grab' opportunism on Friday.
He said that while the parent company's actions to seek government-backed loans in Spain were to be welcomed, it was 'concerning' a similar deal was not being sought in Britain.
'This is another gross insult to the UK workforce that BA plans to send to the dole,' he said. Rather than seeking to preserve jobs and workers' terms and conditions and act for the good of the UK aviation sector, BA is guilty of smash and grab opportunism.'
BA's plans to lay off up to 12,000 workers come after the airline furloughed 22,626 employees, more than half of its 45,000 total.
Under the plans the airline would cut 1,130 captain and co-pilot jobs from its headcount of 4,346.
- Beleaguered carrier will lay off up to a quarter of employees due to current crisis
- Spanish owner IAG has sought £900million loans for Vueling and Iberia airlines
- But it has not asked London for any financial aid to protect its UK businesses
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
The beleaguered carrier has already announced plans to send up to 12,000 workers 'to the dole' owing to the coronavirus crisis, and warned it may end operations at Gatwick, London City Airport and even Heathrow.
Its Spanish owner, International Airlines Group (IAG), has secured £900million of commercial loans with 70 per cent guaranteed by the Madrid government to prop up Iberia and Vueling during the crisis.
However, it has not taken out loans for BA or sought a bailout from UK authorities. It is thought that this may be in a bid to force other companies out of the UK market.
BA's plan to change staff contracts was reported by The Sun on Sunday, with union leaders fearing employees may be railroaded into the agreement.
Unite's assistant general secretary, Howard Beckett, accused the airline of 'despicable' behaviour while they receive taxpayers' money for furloughed staff.
'It is fairly despicable that BA is threatening to dismiss its entire workforce and then reinstate some of them when they are in receipt of government money to furlough workers and when they have £3billion of cash reserves,' he said.
Unite's national officer for aviation, Oliver Richardson, accused BA of 'smash and grab' opportunism on Friday.
He said that while the parent company's actions to seek government-backed loans in Spain were to be welcomed, it was 'concerning' a similar deal was not being sought in Britain.
'This is another gross insult to the UK workforce that BA plans to send to the dole,' he said. Rather than seeking to preserve jobs and workers' terms and conditions and act for the good of the UK aviation sector, BA is guilty of smash and grab opportunism.'
BA's plans to lay off up to 12,000 workers come after the airline furloughed 22,626 employees, more than half of its 45,000 total.
Under the plans the airline would cut 1,130 captain and co-pilot jobs from its headcount of 4,346.
