British Airways faces legal bid over working conditions

British Airways (BA) workers have "unwillingly" agreed to work new schedules with reduced staffing pending a full High Court hearing.

The union representing the staff had launched a legal bid to stop the airline imposing new rotas.

A trial will now be held at London's High Court on 1 February, following out-of-court discussions between Unite and BA, reports Sky News.

BA is currently in a battle with unions over changes to jobs and pay. It wants to cut the number of cabin crew staff on its long-haul flights from 15 to 14, with the change imposed from 16 November.

The company is also proposing a two-year pay freeze, which it says is essential to its survival, the BBC reports.

It has also emerged that the airline is planning to cut an extra 1,200 jobs, taking the total reduction to 4,900 by next year.

The Yorkshire Post reports that most of the new losses will be overseas, and follows a high response from staff wanting to work part-time or take voluntary redundancy, the airline said.