15/03/2010

Brown Attacks Unite Over BA Strike

The Labour party leader has 'turned on' a leading trade union and slammed their planned walk-out.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown used a radio interview this morning to hit out at the Unite union as talks with its leadership failed to produce a breakthrough and a three-day stoppage by airline cabin crew looms for this weekend.

Gordon Brown has labelled the looming British Airways cabin crew strike as "unjustified and deplorable", as the Government steps up the pressure on the Unite trade union.

He turned on one of the Labour party's biggest donors after conversations with the Unite leadership failed to produce a breakthrough at the weekend.

Asked in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour whether Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary, was right in yesterday calling the strikes "totally unjustified", Brown said: "I agree. It is the wrong time, it is unjustified, it is deplorable, we shouldn't have a strike.

"It is not in the company's interest, it is not in the workers' interest and it is certainly not in the national interest. I hope that this strike will be called off."

Meanwhile, British Airways is preparing to announce its strike-breaking schedule later today after pledging it will run up to seven out of 10 flights during a three-day cabin crew walkout due to begin on Saturday.

Despite calls from Unite to resubmit a last-ditch peace offer, BA appears set on getting through the strike this weekend, which will be followed by a four-day walkout from the following Saturday.

BA's Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, said yesterday that he hopes to run up to 70% of BA's daily schedule during the walkouts - meaning that around 490 flights will still operate each day.

More than 500,000 passengers will be affected by the seven days of strikes but BA has already offered full refunds to anyone who has booked to travel with the airline between 19 March and 31 March.

(BMcC/GK)

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