British Airways and union in talks to avert 3-day strike due to begin Saturday

BA and union talk on eve of threatened strike

LONDON — British Airways management and union leaders are meeting Friday in a last-ditch attempt to avert a three-day strike by cabin crew due to begin Saturday.

Arriving for the talks, Unite union joint leader Tony Woodley said there was goodwill on both sides and he was confident a deal to resolve a dispute over pay and working conditions would be reached in time.

Woodley spent most of Thursday in talks with BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh.

Unite has promised to call off the walkout by its 12,000 cabin crew members if BA puts an offer back on the table it withdrew last week. The union would then allow workers to vote on that proposal.

However, even if a last-minute deal is agreed it will be too late to reinstate some flights already canceled by the airline.

BA placed an advertisement in British newspapers on Friday reassuring customers it would do its best to minimize disruption.

“I believe that Unite has made the wrong decision and misjudged the mood of our times,” Walsh said.

BA argues that the disputed changes — including a pay freeze in 2010, a switch to part-time work for 3,000 staff and a reduction in cabin crew sizes from 15 to 14 on long-haul flights from Heathrow airport — are critical for its survival. Unite argues it was not properly consulted on the changes.

Unite has a second, four-day walkout planned to begin on March 27 and has said more strikes will be scheduled for after April 14 if the dispute is not resolved. It has made a pledge not to walk out over the busy Easter period.

Analysts estimate that BA has already lost more than 25 million pounds because of canceled tickets and the cost of contingency plans, which include leasing fully crewed planes from other airlines.

BA’s contingency plans allow for the operation of enough flights for around 65 percent of its booked passengers across its network.

A total of 1,100 flights out of the 1,950 scheduled to operate during the first three strike dates will be canceled.

More than 60 percent of its long-haul services into and out of London Heathrow and 30 percent of short-haul flights will operate. From Gatwick, it plans to operate all long-haul flights and more than half its short-haul network. Flights from London City airport should operate as usual.