Striking British Airways cabin crew offered on Monday to resume talks with the company to try to settle a dispute that could damage the ruling Labour Party in an election due within weeks. Cabin crew were due to return to work on Tuesday after a three-day stoppage that has disrupted flights from London's main Heathrow airport. The issue is a headache for Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party because it involves the Unite union, which is the party's largest financial backer.
The opposition centre-right Conservatives, leading the polls ahead of what is expected to be a closely fought election, says a weak government is at the mercy of union paymasters. Unions plan a second four-day stoppage from next Saturday, grounding flights before the busy Easter holiday period, in a dispute that centres on cost-cutting plans and staffing levels.
Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley accused BA management of an attempt to destroy union influence. "It's costing them (BA) tens of millions of pounds and it's money that you don't need to spend and you don't need to waste," Woodley told a rally of union members at a sports ground close to London's Heathrow airport. "Let's get round the table and negotiate a decent, genuine settlement that you're happy with," he added. BA said the impact of the strike had been limited and that there was no estimate yet as to how much it would cost the company.
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