British Airways cabin crew are set to win a bumper pay rise of between 10 and 15 per cent as the airline looks to repair fractured employee relations after being branded a “national disgrace” following its treatment of workers through the pandemic.
The deal was negotiated by BA chief executive Sean Doyle and Sharon Graham, the new head of the powerful Unite union. Graham coined the phrase ‘fire and rehire’ as part of a media campaign that exposed the airline’s effort to slash employee terms and conditions.
As part of the deal, newer cabin crew will receive a 5 per cent pay rise in March and then two bonus payments worth 5 per cent of their basic pay towards the end of the year. Longer serving flight attendants will receive three bonus payments worth a total of 10 per cent of their basic wage through the year.
British Airways says it will try to increase wages by 10 per cent from the start of 2023 and dependent on how quickly the airline recovers from the lingering effects of the pandemic, the total pay increase could shoot up to 15 per cent.
The pay offer also applies to contact centre staff and other customer service employees who have suffered severe cutbacks through the pandemic.
In an emailed statement, a BA spokesperson said of the pay offer: “We’ve been in touch with our operational colleagues to offer a gesture of thanks for their hard work during the pandemic.”
In June 2020, an influential Parliamentary committee on transportation concluded that the way British Airways was treating its employees fell “well below the standards we would expect from any employer”.
The Transportation Selection Committee labelled BA a “national disgrace” after it slashed 10,000 jobs, including 4,700 cabin crew. Veteran crew members saw their wages plummet by between 15 and 35 per cent as a result of new terms and conditions that were forced through.
The airline is now trying to recruit as many as 3,000 new cabin crew but is struggling to fill positions.
Sean Doyle recently outlined his intention to repair relations with employees, although he face an uphill battle. He recently admitted that an internal employee satisfaction survey made for “sobering reading” but claimed there was no more money available to increase wages.
Well at least BA can find a use for the increased YQ and related charges on tickets they’ve added recently. They must have gone to the Joe Biden School of economics.
They must restore Club World catering to a multi course service. No more COVID theatre excuses or griping about the A350 galley
Thanks to the union BASSA for negotiating this pay rise. All while the pathetic Mixed Fleet Unite reps aka Heathrow Cabin Crew Union tinker with a re-branding while your members suffer.
The 10% pay rise is still less than the 15% pay cut taken when contracts were renegotiated in 2020. This gesture of goodwill restores some of that pay cut. The extra 5% is increases to hourly rate and short day pay.