British Airways (BA) is set to hold talks with unions later today (28 October) aimed at averting a dispute over planned job losses and cost cutting, the BBC has reported.
Officials from the Unite and GMB unions will meet airline management to discuss the changes, which will affect check-in staff and other customer-facing roles.
BA already faces the risk of industrial action from cabin crew after it cut the equivalent of 1,700 jobs, changed working practices, and announced plans to impose a two-year pay freeze for basic cabin crew without seeking union agreement.
BA denied it would be cutting pay, and claimed current cabin crew remained the best paid in the country “by some way”.
Negotiations with the check-in staff ended without agreement in the summer. Today’s meeting is intended to resume talks and avert any strike action.
Last year, BA reported a £401m loss. It expects to report a further big loss this year.
