British Airways PLC has reached a deal with the union representing its cabin crew to settle a long-running labor dispute that culminated in a series of damaging strikes last year, according to AP. BA said it was pleased that the threat of industrial action had been lifted following the agreement announced Thursday with the Unite union, which will now be voted on by the wider union membership - that is largely a formality with union leaders recommending acceptance of the deal. "British Airways cabin crew are rightly renowned for their professionalism and skills," the airline said in a statement after the agreement was detailed to around 700 union members in a meeting near Heathrow airport. "Our airline has a great future, and everyone within it intends to move forward together." The comments were a marked shift in tone in a dispute that began 18 months ago over cost-cutting measures by the airline, including a pay freeze and a reduction in the number of cabin crew on long haul flights, and grew increasingly acrimonious. Unite was incensed when BA retaliated for strike action by withdrawing travel concessions from staff who took part in walkouts. The union spearheaded a total of 22 strike days last year, forcing the airline to cancel hundreds of flights and costing it around 150 million pounds ($240 million). The airline successfully pursued court action twice, delaying further walkouts by forcing the union into reballoting members because it failed to correctly follow strict voting procedures. Under the new deal, the travel perks have been restored to workers, while the union has accepted the structural changes to cabin crew operations as permanent. "We have also agreed changes that will modernise our crew industrial relations and help ensure that this kind of dispute cannot occur again," BA said. Unite, which agreed not to use a current legal mandate from workers for strike action, said it was happy the dispute had been settled by negotiation. "We are delighted to have reached an agreement which I believe recognises the rights and dignity of cabin crew as well as the commercial requirements of the company," said general secretary Len McCluskey. "This agreement will allow us to go forward in partnership together to strengthen this great British company - good news for BA, its employees and its customers alike."
