A total of 16,000 British Airways staff have won a 13% pay increase after receiving pay cuts during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
Employees will be given a lump sum worth 5% of their wages this month, a consolidated 5% increase in September, and a further 3% consolidated rise in December, working out at 13% overall for 2022. The deal will apply to non-management workers across the business, including cabin crew, engineers and baggage handlers, and will help to restore pay to 2019 levels.
Trade union Unite, which helped to negotiate the new deal, backed industrial action for check-in staff employed by British Airways at Heathrow in July, over a 10% pay cut imposed during the pandemic. This was averted after approximately 500 check-in staff accepted an 8% pay rise deal.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “By standing strong with Unite, our members have compelled BA to table a pay rise that goes toward compensating for the pay cuts suffered during the pandemic. There is still some way to go for workers at BA to trust this business again, given the hostile manner in which they conducted themselves during the pandemic. Once again, Unite’s focus on improving jobs, pay and conditions has delivered for our members.”
Oliver Richardson, national officer at Unite, added: “Like most other workers, our members in BA are struggling with the cost of living crisis. This additional pay uplift secured by the union, will immediately help offset the significant financial pressure they are facing.”
British Airways stated that it was pleased with this outcome.
BA staff were not the only ones to receive a pay rise after calling off industrial action, as 48 Aviation Fuel Services employees – also based at Heathrow – recently received an 8% consolidated salary increase, a one-off £2,500 bonus and the reinstatement of shift pay. Basic annual salary rose by £4,939.21 and was backdated to 1 April, along with the increase to the weekend overtime rate.