March 7, 2010
Mr. Willie Walsh, CEO British Airways
Waterside (HAA3)
PO Box 365
Harmondsworth
UB7 0GB
Dear Mr. Walsh:
I am writing on behalf of our “Oneworld” colleagues at Unite.
Labor unrest and discord distracts the workforce, creates uncertainty in travelers (our customers), impacts the lending institutions and further weakens an already fragile enterprise.
It seems AA & BA are on the cusp of turning the corner in terms of potential opportunity resulting from ATI & JBA approval.
Your intuition must tell you, that if the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. One in your position cannot separate leadership from relationships – Unite is not the enemy – after all without labor, including you, nothing prospers. Labor drives and delivers on BA’s commitments and promises to the customer.
The ground floor gives life to the top floor’s ideas and propels them from fantasy to reality. The Cabin Crew, your employees and Unite members represent the face of BA and have the most interaction with passengers, providing for their safety and comfort, while enhancing the travel experience.
I am clear that your instincts and experience must prevail, in working to lead the parties to an amicable agreement and a return to a relationship of basic harmony, trust and equity.
The TWU at AA represents approximately 28,000 ground workers who as you know, are facing their own challenges in negotiations.
The Transport Workers Union of America AFL – CIO pledges its full support, influence and resources, squarely behind our contemporaries at Unite. Thank you for taking the time to indulge me and making every effort to strengthen the “Oneworld” Alliance, by exerting your considerable persuasive talents to secure an agreement.
Respectfully,
John M. Conley International Administrative Vice President Director Air Transport Division
JMC:kla opeiu-153
C: Steve Turner
Tony McCarthy
Gerard Arpey