All strikes are political, but some are more political than others. This weekend's British Airways strike has been hyped far beyond its industrial significance. No government money or national interest is at stake. There are plenty of competitors for BA in the supply of airline services, and 80% of air travel is for leisure and tourism.
What draws headlines is that the union involved, the Unite conglomerate, has given the Labour party £11m over the past two years. It is far more important to Labour in the coming election than Lord Ashcroft is to the Tories. In a bizarre, traditional abuse of parliament, it is also allowed to have 100 MPs on its books and wields half the union votes in Labour's electoral college. Ministers are understandably concerned.
Read Simon Jenkins' article for the Guardian hereBritish Airways passengers face the threat of disruption on both sides of the Atlantic after the Teamsters, the powerful US trade union, confirmed it would meet Unite representatives in Washington today to discuss supporting a looming cabin crew strike. "We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Unite who are fighting for a fair contract at British Airways," said the Teamsters in a statement. "The Teamsters are an active member of the International Transport Workers Federation. ITF affiliates around the world are mobilising to support British Airways workers in their fight for passenger safety and worker respect."
