British Airways protest held outside Goodwood

Demonstrators gathered outside the entrance Goodwood yesterday to protest against British Airways’ treatment of workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Demonstrators at GoodwoodDemonstrators at Goodwood
Demonstrators at Goodwood

Unite union led the protest against the airline’s plans to dismiss most of its workforce and rehire them on what the union calls ‘inferior contracts’.

The restructuring could mean up to 12,000 redundancies.

The company had received nearly £35m from the government as of 14 May by furloughing 22,000 staff, a Transport Committee report has found.

Demonstrators at GoodwoodDemonstrators at Goodwood
Demonstrators at Goodwood
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Sharon Graham, Unite executive officer, said: “There must be consequences for British Airways’ decision to press ahead with its plans to fire and rehire its workforce in the middle of the worst health crisis in a century.”

Organisers said the BA Betrayal demo was held outside Goodwood racecourse because the Glorious Goodwood races are sponsored by Qatar, which owns 25 per cent of the airline.

A British Airways spokesperson said, “We are acting now to protect as many jobs possible.

“The airline industry is facing the deepest structural change in its history, as well as facing a severely weakened global economy.

“We call on Unite and GMB to work with us as our pilots’ union BALPA, is doing. Working together we can protect more jobs as we prepare for a new future.”