Virgin warns strikers they will not meet pay demands

Virgin Atlantic cabin crew, who are members of the Unite union, are to stage two 48-hour strikes next month after they voted in favour of industrial action.

The strikes will run for 48 hours each, starting at 0600 on Wednesday 9 January and from 0600 on Wednesday 16 January.

However, in a letter, Sir Richard Branson has warned Virgin Atlantic staff that they will not be meeting ‘dangerous’ pay demands.

Mr Branson admitted that rival airlines often offered better basic wages but said that they did not offer the benefits that came with working for a ’smaller, more friendly’ company.

The letter added ‘for some of you, more pay than Virgin Atlantic can afford may be critical to your lifestyle and if that is the case you should consider working elsewhere’.

The union said it had rejected the company’s final pay offer of a 2-year deal, 4.8% in the first year and an increase in line with inflation in the second year. The union balloted 3,100 workers of whom 2,102 voted, with 1,497 voting in favour of strike action - the first industrial action in the airline’s history.

Steve Ridgway of Virgin Atlantic has said that it will do everything it can to get passengers to their destinations. The strikes are to take place at all seven of the company’s UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh.

Further disruption is expected as airport operator BAA are set to strike on 3 other dates.

Story link: Virgin warns strikers they will not meet pay demands