The fresh 72-hour walk-out is due to take place from Thursday January 19, according to union Unite, in a bid to curb what it branded “poverty pay” being offered by the carrier to its Mixed Fleet staff.
Unite members in BA‘s Mixed Fleet operation held industrial action on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, causing the cancellation of 48 flights, the Independent reports.
The latest action is part of an ongoing dispute over wages involving more than 2,500 Mixed Fleet staff who are members of Unite.
BA said this week’s 48-hour walk-out had not disrupted customers claiming more than 70% of Mixed Fleet crew had reported for work as normal.
In a statement the airline said: "We operated nearly 1,600 flights over the two days, as planned, and transported all 210,000 customers to their destinations.
"So it is bizarre, as well as regrettable, that Mixed Fleet Unite branch has announced further strike dates.
"We will again aim to ensure that all our customers travel to their destinations in this period and we will publish more details on Monday once we have finalised our contingency plans.
"Unite’s attempt to create uncertainty for customers and further division among its own members is completely without justification."
Unite said that since the start of the strike 800 Mixed Fleet cabin crew workers had joined its ranks - taking membership to over 2,900.
In a recent survey conducted by the union it claimed half of Mixed Fleet staff have had to take on a second jobs to make ends meet, while the report claims that more than two-thirds of staff were going to work "unfit to fly" because they could not afford to be off sick.
The research also stated that 84% of staff reported experiencing stress and depression since joining BA because of worries over their financial circumstances.
Oliver Richardson, Unite national officer said: "British Airways should be under no illusion about our members’ determination to secure a settlement that addresses their concerns over poverty pay.
"Seeking to squeeze ever more from cabin crew and making passengers pay for services which were once complimentary is a sad state of affairs for an airline which once described itself as the ’world’s favourite’.
"We would urge British Airways to avoid the inconvenience and disruption of industrial action by meaningfully addressing levels of poverty pay which are causing financial worry and distress to Mixed Fleet cabin crew."
