More than 2,000 British Airways engineers have received three days of annual leave, returning their allowance to pre-pandemic levels.
The engineering staff maintain and service British Airways’ 280 aircraft based at Heathrow, Gatwick, the maintenance and overhaul facility at Glasgow airport, and line stations across the UK and Ireland.
According to trade union Unite, these employees lost some holiday entitlement during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, leaving them with fewer holiday days than others at the airline. The affected staff were planning on taking part in industrial action, but a resolution was secured through discussions, with their holiday allowance returning to a minimum of 25 days.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “This is another deserved victory for Unite at British Airways. Our members at BA are absolutely determined that the employer gives back what it took from the workforce.
“So far, we’ve restored wages, and Unite is pleased to say that the holiday days taken from the engineers will be rightfully returned. The determination of our reps and members to stand firm and to take strike action if needs be certainly helped bring about this positive resolution.”
Joe McGowan, Unite’s regional officer responsible for the BA engineers, added: “Taking these holiday days from the engineers was unwarranted and Unite was always going to challenge this attack. The members and reps are delighted with the progress made but stay determined to do whatever it takes to win back the remaining items forced through by BA in 2020.”
This followed 16,000 BA staff seeing their pay restored to 2019 levels, following pay cuts taken during the pandemic, through similar negotiations between the business and Unite in order to avert industrial action.
British Airways was contacted for comment prior to publication.