British Airways pilots vote for pay cut
Updated on 13 July 2009
British Airways pilots have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking a 2.6 per cent pay cut.
The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) says its members accepted the lower wages - part of a plan to save the airline £26 million - by a majority of more than nine to one.
BA - which stages its annual meeting on Tuesday - is seeking to cut 3,700 jobs and freeze pay for others after posting record losses of £400 million.
Jim McAuslan, general secretary of Balpa, said: "This is an unaccustomed position for a union to be in but we have pressure-tested the company's trading position and cost base and are satisfied this step is necessary to help BA recover its position as one of the world's most successful airlines.
"Our members have backed that judgment and are leading the way in contributing to the turn-round plan. The package of measures will be implemented as soon as BA demonstrates delivery of the cost saving targets across the whole company."
Under the deal, pilots will take a pay cut of 2.61 per cent and see certain allowances cut by 20 per cent. In return, they will receive shares in the company in three years' time worth £13 million.
BA workers are planning to display live lemmings to protest at the firm's cost-cutting plans outside what promises to be a stormy annual meeting.
Union activists will parade the animals in cages, alongside slogans claiming the company and its staff deserve better than the way BA is being led.
Chief executive Willie Walsh warned BA was facing a fight for its survival as he sought agreement on 3,700 job cuts among cabin crew and other staff, and a two year pay freeze.
A deadline for agreeing the cuts and various changes to working conditions passed without a deal on June 30 and talks are continuing to try to break the deadlock.
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