A three-day strike by many of British Airways' cabin crews will go ahead from Saturday after talks with management collapsed, Reuters quoted the Unite union as saying today. The strike, which is likely to disrupt travel plans for thousands, presents a major headache for the ruling centre-left Labour party weeks before a general election because Unite is its biggest single financial backer. Britain's railway signal workers added to the government's problems by voting to strike over job cuts and changes to working practices, raising the threat of a first national rail strike in 16 years. Tony Woodley, Unite's joint general secretary, told reporters that the BA cabin crews who are in dispute would go on strike at midnight for three days, and then again from March 27 to March 30, just as the Easter holiday season begins. Woodley said "hawks" within BA who wanted confrontation had won the day, including chief executive Willie Walsh. "I think it is a classic case of Mr Walsh unfortunately being one of the hawks who is looking for a war with our members as opposed to a negotiated settlement," he said. The airline wants to save an annual 62.5 million pounds ($95 million) to help cope with a fall in demand, volatile fuel prices and increased competition from low-cost carriers.
