British Airways faces another battle after GMB union members reject pension scheme offer

British Airways (BA) is facing another union battle after GMB members rejected its pension scheme offer.

Chief executive Willie Walsh faces a Valentine’s Day showdown with GMB general secretary Paul Kenny over the issue.

Walsh last month spent days locked away with Transport and General Workers’ Union (T&G) general secretary Tony Woodley to avert strikes called by cabin crew staff.

Now Walsh has to placate Kenny, who has threatened industrial action over the rough deal he believes low-paid BA employees are getting from the pension scheme.

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Ed Blissett, GMB national negotiator, said: “GMB members covered by the BA pension fund have given the union a strong mandate to reject the company’s pension funds offer.

“GMB members do not want to cause the travelling public any inconvenience and so they have asked their negotiators to try to negotiate a settlement with BA. However, the GMB cannot rule out the possibility of an industrial action ballot sometime in the future if negotiations are unsuccessful.”