Dark clouds gather on BA's horizon

BA tabled the offer on Thursday evening and Unite had announced its intention to ballot members before a proposed three-day strike from March 20 with a further four-day action from March 27, which the has union announced.

But BA rescinded the offer, claiming that it had been conditional on the union not naming strike dates and that Unite had therefore invalidated the terms of the offer.

A BA spokesman stated that the offer was now completely off the table.

He said that BA was still open to talks but not from the starting point of that offer.

Unite responded to the withdrawal of the offer with outrage, furiously denying that any such condition had existed.

Unite assistant general secretary Len McCluskey said: "The TUC, which has brokered our talks with BA, this morning welcomed our decision to put management's offer to our members. Now we learn via the media that apparently the offer has been withdrawn.

"This beggars belief, putting it beyond doubt that confrontation has been management's intention throughout and that BA has never had any intention of seeking agreement.

"The company is now stopping its own employees from having a voice on an offer that could possibly have ended the dispute.

"If there are wiser heads at British Airways now is the time for them to be heard from.

"It is now the cabin crew who are defending the British Airways brand against the Willie Walsh brand of management by machismo."

Unite said its members at the airline would walk out following the collapse of talks aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and working conditions.

BA has drawn up plans to draft in scab labour in a bid to break a potential strike. Up to 1,000 volunteer staff are reportedly ready to work as strike-breakers.

The airline has also said it will hire 23 fully crewed planes from charter companies to help run flights from Heathrow.

A planned 12-day stoppage by 12,500 cabin crew over Christmas was halted after a successful legal challenge from BA and the union ruled out striking over Easter.

The latest round of talks broke up without agreement on Wednesday evening, though channels of communication reportedly remained open.

The planned action will begin next week unless there is movement on a potential deal in the meantime.