BA decision 'questions right to strike'

A union leader has questioned whether workers still have the right to strike as moves are made to challenge an injunction which halted plans for a series of walkouts by British Airways cabin crew.

Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, said the outlawing of the action by the High Court on Monday was "quite unbelievable" and raised wider issues about union activity.

Mr Justice McCombe granted an order against Unite, giving a reprieve for passengers who had faced weeks of travel chaos.

Unite said the decision was made because it had not told its members that 11 ballot papers in a recent vote by cabin crew had been spoilt.

The union leader said Unite had abided by the rules and done everything "humanly possible" in an online ballot asking thousands of BA cabin crew if they wanted to accept an offer aimed at ending a long-running row over jobs, pay and staffing levels.

Mr Woodley also accused BA's chief executive Willie Walsh of being "incredibly petty and vindictive" by refusing to fully restore travel concessions to staff who joined a strike in March and over disciplinary action taken against more than 50 union members.

Flights from Heathrow are still affected despite the injunction, but BA said it hoped to restore a full programme by the weekend.