Now BA faces official strike

THE threat of more summer holiday chaos for British Airways flights at Heathrow increased dramatically today. Marathon 13-hour talks to resolve the dispute with BA collapsed at midnight, with one of three unions saying it would now ballot for official industrial action.

A BA spokeswoman said 'almost 100%' of passengers flew out yesterday but admitted a handful were still waiting today, though flights were running on time.

The airline said it would order check-in and ground staff to start 'clocking on' from noon today, using the hotly contested electronic swipe cards at the centre of the row.

This raised the prospect of further wildcat strikes by check-in staff who walked out at the weekend, stranding hundreds of holidaymakers and business fliers. But a fresh stoppage did not materialise.

GMB union official Ed Blissett said an official strike ballot would now take place. This would take two or three weeks, he said, with the union certain of an 'overwhelming' vote in favour. Strike action could hit the Bank Holiday weekend of 23-25 August, traditionally one of the busiest travel times of the year.

There was, however, evidence of a split between local and national union officers over what action should be taken, while the Transport and General Workers and Amicus unions said they would spend the next day talking to members before deciding what to do.

Mervyn Walker, director of BA Heathrow, accused unions of having 'walked away' from the talks, which lasted more than 26 hours over two days. He said: 'I am extremely disappointed. We are ready and eager to talk at any time and that will remain our position.'

At the same time he was adamant that the automated time recording system (ATR) would be introduced today to record accurately who was at work, where and when.

He said he had stressed to the unions that ATR 'would not affect pay and not affect jobs'. Mr Walker said any further wildcat action today would be 'clearly unacceptable and inappropriate' but neither BA nor union leaders could guarantee this would not happen.

BA said it had offered to postpone introduction of the electronic system until both sides had agreed this year's pay deal, but said this had been rejected.

More than 2,000 BA workers already use ATR, said the airline, adding: 'We will continue to spend time with our staff, reassuring them about the new system.' BA said it had guaranteed that ATR would not lead, as staff feared, to their being sent home early during quiet periods and called in to make up the time on busier days.

Ed Blissett said BA had not moved from its position 'at all' in the talks. 'Our members are extremely angry,' he added. The unions said they had called for a meeting with BA chief executive Rod Eddington but claimed he had refused. The GMB's Allan Black warned Mr Eddington he was 'sleepwalking into a nightmare dispute', although he added that he expected members to work normally even after the new system is imposed on about 2,500 staff at Heathrow and Gatwick.

In an advertisement in today's Evening Standard, Mr Eddington makes an ' unreserved' apology to passengers. He adds: 'We recognise that we have not provided the level of service our customers have come to expect from BA.'

British Airways shares fell 4 1/2p to 168 3/4p on news the talks had failed.