Virgin strike!!

Thousands of airline passengers fleeing freezing Britain for some Australian sun could have their travel plans thrown into chaos after Virgin Atlantic staff today agreed to strike in the New Year.

Virgin Atlantic cabin crew who are members of the Unite union voted in favour of industrial action for the first time in the airline’s history in a row over pay.

The strikes will run for 48 hours each, starting at 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 9 January and from 5pm on Wednesday 16 January.

While Virgin Atlantic will not be able to say which flights are affected until tomorrow at the earliest, chief executive Steve Ridgway moved to reassure passengers.

“We are disappointed that some of our cabin crew have voted this way but we will do everything we can to get our passengers to their destinations during the threatened industrial action,” Mr Ridgway said.

“It is surprising that Unite has taken this step of calling action when they had previously helped to put together the deal and strongly recommended that its members accept it.

“There will be no 11th hour change to our pay offer.”

The carrier runs daily flights between London’s Heathrow Airport and Sydney.

Unite members claim they are underpaid compared with their cabin crew counterparts at other airlines and union national officer Brian Boyd said their decision to strike had not been taken lightly.

“They are a world-class crew who’ve been undervalued for too long,” Mr Boyd said.

“They are seeking a long-term solution to pay which recognises their loyalty and professionalism.

“Unite is calling on Virgin Atlantic to get back around the negotiating table to get through this impasse and avoid disruption in the New Year.”

Union members voted 71 per cent in favour of taking industrial action, although the airline pointed out that only 31 per cent of its total cabin crew workforce voted in favour of the action.

Meanwhile, a result is expected to be announced tomorrow on a separate dispute involving more than 5000 firefighters, security, maintenance, administrative and clerical staff at seven airports run by BAA.

Workers represented by Unite at the airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, voted overnight on whether to take industrial action in protest at the closure of the final salary pension scheme to new employees.

In the event of a “yes” vote the union will have 28 days to take any action, and is required to give seven days’ notice of any walkout.

Source : The Herald Sun