air STRIKE
Socialist Party bulletin for BA workers and trade union activists
BA SILENT AS
PICKETS STAND FIRM
•STOP UNION BUSTING - NO ‘NEW FLEET’!
•END VICTIMISATION - DEFEND TRADE UNION
•RIGHTS!
C
abin crew strikes at BA
continued to make headlines
across the globe yesterday, as
the second day of strike action was
as solid as the first. Willie Walsh is
whistling in the dark – he claimed that
all ‘scheduled’ flights took place; this
is nothing but spin and it is telling that
Cabin crews partners and children turned
out to support the pickets.
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he won’t put a number to how many has gone to ground – his only media
scab flights were ‘scheduled’! appearance since the beginning of
industrial action has been in the form
The picket lines were overflowing and of a pre-recorded YouTube video. It
in a buoyant mood – strikers chanted also seems that there is a split opening
‘Willie, Willie, Willie – Out! Out! Out!’ up amongst management over how
and ‘We love Willie; but just not to deal with the strike, with Walsh
Walsh’, while cars and buses honked becoming increasingly marginalised.
their support as they passed. On one Now is the time to step up the action
picket line, a member of BAs office to take advantage of this; with long
staff brought a box of donuts down haul flights coming in yesterday and
to fuel the pickets, while on another today, new waves of cabin crew are
picket ambulance workers continued joining the strike and coming out on
to refresh strikers with cuppas over the pickets.
the course of the day. These examples
of the support that exists amongst It is clear that for many workers, this
ordinary people and other workers dispute is becoming a ‘fight to the
shows that Walsh’s propaganda will death’, many have said that if the union
not wash. is broken they would hand their cards
in – BA would not be worth working for
This is despite the fact that all strikers if it weren’t for the protection that a
face a gagging order – they have strong union can give. Unfortunately,
been told in no uncertain terms that this is exactly what Walsh and the
anyone who speaks to the press to Directors want – there were rumours
give their side of the story will face on the picket line yesterday that a
discipline and possible suspension. BA seven-figure bonus payment has been
management’s paranoia grew to new promised to Walsh if he can break
levels as it emerged that the Guardian UNITE in Cabin Crew! We can’t let
newspaper has been banned from this happen! Trade unionists across
the complementary reading material the country stand solidly behind the
on flights due to columnist Seamus cabin crew as they see that a victory
Milne’s articles in support of the for Walsh will be a green light for other
strike! companies to attempt union-busting. A
victory for cabin crew, however, would
Management are clearly shaken by raise the sights of millions of workers
how solid the first two days of strike and show that we don’t have to accept
action have been and it seems Walsh the attacks of the employer.
continued over...

A discussion is taking place about
what to do from here. Building for
next weeks strike days will be the focus
of most people’s minds right now. But if
Walsh does not come crawling back to
the table with concessions – centrally,
the abandonment of the ‘new fleet’
and the immediate reinstatement of
all suspended trade unionists – then
cabin crew should be confident in
calling further strike action. A widely
publicised rally or march, if possible
to Waterside, as part of further strike
days could also be a big boost. The
leadership of Unite could put their
call for the whole of the trade union
movement to mobilise behind cabin
crew to practical effect by laying on
buses in London and nearby counties
to bring fellow trade unionists down
for a march led by cabin crew. Friends,
family and other trade unionists could
turn out to show their solidarity and
turn out to get Willie out!
air STRIKE
• No to the “New Fleet”
• Reinstate the 36 ‘prisoners’ now – no to victimisation!
• National and international trade union action to
• defeat BA
• Take BA back into public ownership
Support the PCS strike
On Wednesday 24th March, civil service workers in the PCS union will
be taking strike action against unilateral changes to their contracts. The
government wants to rip up their redundancy scheme in preparation for
swingeing job cuts. Like BA cabin crew, PCS members have been portrayed
by the media as ‘strike happy militants’. But no one takes strike action
lightly and like BA workers they are forced to take action to defend their
hard-won terms and conditions.
Messages of support from cabin crew to PCS members for their strike day
would be a boost to the confidence of these workers – showing that we
need to stick together and that other workers understand what they are
faced with. Please send messages of support to PCS president Janice
Godrich at janice@pcs.org.uk. For more information on the PCS dispute,
visit http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/9015/17-03-2010/
pcs-budget-day-action.

What is airSTRIKE?
airSTRIKE is a blog which was set up by Socialist Party
members who are trade union activists in UNITE and other
unions which organise at British Airways. Please visit the blog
and join in the discussion at airstrikes.wordpress.com.
There will be updates and reports added to the blog direct from
the picket lines this weekend, so make sure you check it out.

I would like to join/find out more about the Socialist Party

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Trade Unionist and
Socialist Coalition
General Election Launch Rally
Thursday 25 March, 7.30pm Friends Meeting House,
Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ
Speakers include:
Bob Crow the railway workers’ union (RMT) general secretary; Brian Caton the prison officers’ association (POA)
general secretary; Chris Baugh the civil servants’ union (PCS) assistant general secretary; Dave Nellist Socialist
Party councillor
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition will be contesting seats in the coming general election on a clear anti-
cuts and socialist programme. Founding supporters include Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT, Brian Caton,
general secretary of the POA, Chris Baugh, assistant general secretary of the PCS, and other leading officers of
the PCS, all in a personal capacity. All three establishment parties agree that it is working people who must pay
the price of the economic crisis. We do not accept this and supporters of the coalition are determined to offer the
widest possible working-class challenge in the coming general election.
www.tusc.org.uk electioncoalition@btinternet.com
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