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British Airways staff secure 13 percent pay rise

By Nithya Bose in UK Business & Employment News, posted August 7, 2023

Around 24,000 employees at British Airways will receive a 10 percent pay increase over an 18-month period from September.

Additionally, workers will be granted a one-off payment of £1,000.

However, the deal does not include pilots and management personnel.

After months of negotiations, the agreement comes as a relief, mitigating the risk of disruptions amid the soaring demand for air travel.

Workers in various sectors advocate for higher wages due to the persistently high inflation rates in the UK, which currently stand at 7.9 percent, far exceeding the Bank of England's target of 2 percent.

Unite's negotiations sought to counteract the impact of inflation on workers and also aimed to reverse pay cuts implemented in 2020.

Unite's General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said the "sizable pay increase" resulted from "detailed negotiations."

Holiday season

Airlines are keen on avoiding a repeat of last summer's chaos caused by a surge in demand following the pandemic.

The aviation industry is entering one of its busiest months, with families travelling during the UK's school summer holidays.

Strikes by air traffic controllers in France led to airspace congestion and flight cancellations for budget carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet.

But British Airways managed to avert disruption when a wave of industrial action by ground handlers was called off.

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This marks a turnaround for British Airways, which had cut over 10,000 jobs during the pandemic but has hired thousands more as travel demand approaches pre-pandemic levels.

IAG, the owner of British Airways, recently reported record half-year profits of £1.1 billion, benefiting from higher fares and a rebound in travel.

British Airways declined to comment on the pay deal.

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