WHAT: BA Betrayal demonstration outside M&S

WHERE: Marks and Spencer, 48 Donegal Place, Belfast BT1 5BY

WHEN: 12.30pm, Friday July 31^st 2020

Campaigners against British Airways’ plans to fire its workforce and rehire those that survive on inferior contracts are calling on the airline’s corporate partner Marks & Spencer to use its influence to urge BA to enter into sensible negotiations with Unite. 

The campaigners will hold a banner reading ‘British Airways – Stop Betraying Your Workers, outside Marks & Spencer in Belfast. They want Marks & Spencer which is a corporate partner of BA to put some pressure on the airline to change course. 

A recent poll of over 2000 people, including over 1219 BA passengers, conducted by Survation, revealed that the majority of those polled believe BA is wrong to terminate staff and re-employ them on reduced terms and conditions in the middle of a health crisis (70%).

69% of all those surveyed believed the government should review the UK’s current arrangements on landing slots compared to just 16% saying the government should not.

Sharon Graham Unite Executive Officer said “British Airways’ workers face an unprecedented attack on their jobs, pay and conditions in the middle of the worst health crisis in a century. Campaigners are calling on Marks & Spencer as a partner of BA to use its influence to urge BA to end its fire and rehire strategy and enter into sensible negotiations with Unite.

“Workers, MPs, celebrities and the public have condemned BA’s behaviour. The company is essentially creating a new and unrecognisable airline – it should not automatically have the right to control over half the landing and take-off slots at Heathrow.  BA needs to be made aware that its customers oppose the airline’s behaviour.”