PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE BETWEEN BRITISH AIRWAYS AND THE TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS UNION (6 July 1997)

That this House notes that, in connection with the current industrial relations problems within British Airways, BA had previously given undertakings that there would be no selling off of business units without prior consultation with the staff and the representative trade union, the T&G; further notes the disproportionate effect that the proposed sell off of the catering division would have on the Asian community in west London, and that the proposed new terms and conditions are to be imposed on the majority of the cabin crew community after securing an agreement with a rump 'union' and avoiding negotiations with the majority representative body, T&G BASSA; believes that the BA staff are the real long-term stakeholders who have made BA the world's most successful airline and should have been treated in a way that befits social partners; also believes that the rumoured recruitment of strike breakers from employment agencies is provocative and probably unlawful, contrary to ILO Convention No.96, given effect in Britain as the Employment Agencies Act 1973; calls on BA to honour existing commitments to ground services staff as set out in the staff charter; and further calls on BA to open meaningful negotiations with the majority of cabin crew union, namely T&G BASSA.

Sponsored by:
Mr Piara S Khabra (Labour)