Did the unions authorise the strike?
The two-day walkout by groundstaff caught everyone by surprise and was technically illegal because wildcat strikes were supposed to be outlawed under labour laws introduced by the Thatcher government. How much did the action cost? BA says the cancellation of 400 flights cost tens of millions of pounds. Some analysts put the cost as high as £50m, which could push the carrier’s yearly loss to £150m. Last year the airline posted a profit of £100m after the previous year’s loss of £200m, a considerable achievement given the parlous state of the industry. What about the damage to BA’s reputation? The strike was a public relations disaster, with live television pictures of irate passengers venting their fury at BA. The uncertainty over BA as management and unions hold talks to avert future action has already driven people to book with other airlines. BA has been criticised for wanting to force the swipe card issue during peak summer travel, leaving itself open to maximum disruption. Does BA
