British Airways cabin crew have voted in favour of strikes in a bitter row over jobs and working conditions, raising the renewed threat of action which could cripple flights in the run-up to Easter.

Members of the Unite union voted massively in favour of launching a campaign of industrial action in a long-running dispute over cost cutting measures, including reductions in crew numbers.

Unite will hold a mass meeting of workers on Thursday when strike dates are set to be announced, although the union has ruled out taking action over Easter.

The union will have to give seven days notice of any strikes to the airline, which has been training other staff, including pilots, to take the place of cabin crew if action is held.

The cabin crew were due to take 12 days of strike action over Christmas but BA won a legal challenge after it emerged that the union had balloted hundreds of members who had already left the airline.

Unite lost a second legal case last week when it failed to argue that changes to working practices and reductions in crew numbers were unlawful.

Source : ITN

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