BA faces Christmas strike

British Airways passengers face the threat of mass disruption over Christmas as it emerged that the result of a strike ballot will be announced on 14 December.Some 14,000 BA cabin crew would be free to walk out as early as 21 December, the Unite union told 3,000 BA staff at a mass meeting at Sandown racecourse.Another large-scale meeting will be held on 14 December when the outcome of the strike vote will be revealed.The unions sought an injunction from the High Court last week to try and stop BA from introducing new pay and conditions.From 16 November BA is cutting the number of crew on many of its long-haul flights, meaning senior staff will have to carry out more menial tasks. Unite says this is a contractual change, but the airline says it's not and so does not require the consent of the unions.The airline has already flagged plans to axe 1,700 jobs, freeze pay for staff and lower wages for new joiners in a bid to save £140m a year."People here are feeling very angry and frustrated at BA's action," said Unite's national officer, Steve Turner, at today's meeting. "They find it inexplicable given all the hard work they put in and all the efforts we have made as a union to suggest savings, which the company has disregarded up to now." Bay Capital