British Airways (BA) executives will face renewed pressure to sit down with cabin crew this week and reach a negotiated settlement, rather than impose changes to pay and employment conditions, after 80.7% of union workers voted in favour of industrial action.
Unite union has so far refused to disclose any strike dates or the length of any action as it wants to continue negotiations with BA in the hope of reaching an agreement.
Legally, Unite must give a week's notice if it plans to take action - meaning strikes could begin in early March. Unite has promised there will no stoppages over the Easter period, however.
BA made a pre-tax loss of £50m in the three months to December 2009, which is bad but still better than the £122m lost during the same period last year.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said the cabin crew vote is "a clear indication of the deep sense of grievance that our members feel".
"We can only hope that BA management will now recognise the only way to resolve this is through negotiation, not through litigation and certainly not through intimidation," he said.
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