Reacting to the announcement by British Airways that it is to make 12,000 staff redundant, the leader of the country’s leading aviation union, Unite, said that this was a `heartless decision’ and entirely at odds with the course of action followed by our European competitors as they seek a way through the coronoavirus crisis.

Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey said: “This devastating announcement comes on the day that BA staff joined together to lay to rest one of their own, a long-standing and much loved cabin crew member who tragically died from the coronavirus contracted while carrying out his duties bringing home loved ones from overseas to reunite concerned families.  This announcement will be felt as the stab in the back it undoubtedly is by the close knit BA family. 

“We say to BA’s boss Alex Cruz that this is a heartless decision in a time of national crisis. With the majority of BA’s workers on furlough, we would have expected him to work with both us and the government to honour the spirit of the government’s job retention scheme.

 “Governments across Europe, in Spain, Germany and France are working with trade unions and airlines to rebuild back better, keeping people in work while the sector recovers.  We simply cannot understand as to why Alex Cruz is not doing the same, unless he has sought an opportunity to see other airlines fail, so that BA can profit.  

 “To reject government support but then expect their own staff to pay the cost of such a misjudgement, is irresponsible, dangerous and destructive and is utterly at odds with the mood of the country at a time of crisis.

“Creating unemployment is a conscious choice by an employer, not an inevitability.  

 “This workforce has worked tirelessly, heroically and unnoticed throughout this crisis, in dangerous circumstances on the global transport frontline. A repatriation flight is without doubt rife with  risk with the potential exposure of airline crew and staff. In recent weeks, they have played their part, with many volunteering for rescue flights, regardless of their own safety and often with little or no PPE equipment to help distressed UK citizens come home to their loved ones. 

“They simply do not deserve to be treated as a commodity to be disposed of in this way.  Unite values their sacrifice, as do the families that they have brought together and can be assured that their union will not tolerate this indecent mistreatment of these brave men and women.

“This industry must pull together or many more working people will suffer the same fate as these 12,000 BA workers.”