Court ban on BA strike action is outrageous
by Kevin McVey - 18th December 2009
The SSP condemns the decision of the High Court to declare the strike
ballot of British Airway’s cabin crew illegal, as an undemocratic decision
with worrying consequences for the ability of the Trade Union movement
to defend the rights and conditions of its members.
This was a ballot where over 80% of the UNITE members involved voted
and of those who did, 92% supported strike action. Yet in the face of
this overwhelming mandate an individual and unaccountable judge can back
up BA’s bullying management and invalidate the result.
It marks a further extension of the interference of the courts into the
democratic decision making processes of Trade Unions and loads the dice
even further in favour of employers seeking to attack workers like those
in BA.
It is the latest twist on what is a sustained assault by BA management
on their workforce, seeking to emulate companies like Branson’s Virgin
Airways and Ryanair in driving down wages and conditions in the airline
industry.
Contrary to the pernicious propaganda being spoon-fed to the mainstream media by BA, this is a workforce that does not luxuriate in a pampered lifestyle and earn inflated wages.
The unprecedented support for industrial
action reflects the anger of people who have been consistently undermined
in the job they are trying to do and facing a brutal employer who wants
to boost its profits through wage cuts and staff reductions.
UNITE is now saying it will re-ballot. It is essential that the solid
support for action is maintained and indeed informal, unofficial action
may not be ruled out such will be the anger against the court’s unfair
decision.
The SSP will continue to support the BA worker’s in their fight. The
party believes the court action should mark the point where the Trade
Union movement starts to roll back the attacks of employers and the incursion
of the state into their legitimate business. It is a fight against the
greed of big business and for all our democratic rights.
UNITE might also wish to consider its ongoing support to a Labour Party that after 12 years in power has allowed the anti-union legislation, which Tony Blair boasted as being “the most restrictive in the Western world”, to remain in place as a weapon in the armoury of every bullying boss like Willie Walsh and his minions at BA.