The
T&G union has hit out at British Airways (BA) after airline posted a
pre-tax profit of £115m for the three months to June.
The
profits are up from a £45m loss in the same period of last year, which the
T&G said was massive compared to the £70m the company said is needed over
the next three years to settle a pay claim, which threatens to turn into strike
action later in the summer.
More
than 8,000 baggage handlers, drivers, ground staff, check-in staff, sales and
admin staff at UK airports are due to vote on strike action over pay in the
next two weeks.
T&G
national secretary for civil aviation, Brendan Gold, said: “Those profits have
been achieved with the significant efforts from the workforce. Now is the time
for the BA board to stop insulting them and agree their modest and reasonable
claim to secure the future.”
Rod
Eddington, chief executive of BA, has also announced his retirement from the
troubled airline at the end of next year for "personal reasons".
