Although British Airways boss Willie Walsh was quick to offer talks and concessions to trade union Unite after a strike was averted over the Christmas period it looks like the airline is once again facing possible action from its staff. If the 12,700 BA employees who are affiliated to Unite agree to walk out then the carrier could face problems beginning on March 1^st. Steve Turner and Brian Boyd who are Unite’s aviation officers have said that following the High Court ruling that any walk out by BA staff over Christmas would be unlawful they are determined to have a new ballot. The High Court announced that a strike by cabin crew over Christmas would not be allowed because a number of ballots cast had been by people who no longer worked for the airline. Allegedly some members had already taken voluntary redundancy before voting to strike.

Unite has said that it will tighten up the information it holds on its database in order to avoid such problems in the future and that they are determined to make the voice of their members heard through a new ballot. A spokesman for BA has said that talks between Willie Walsh and Unite’s general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley were currently going well and that Unite seemed to be genuinely seeking a resolution. Any negotiations are bound to be centered around Willie Walsh’s argument that in order to cut costs BA has to cut the amount of cabin crew it has on its aircraft.