Pressure is growing on British Airways (BA/BAW) as the BA Betrayal campaign gets support from well known faces across social media.
The campaign set up by Unite aims to bring public attention to the planned blanket dismissal of all British Airways staff and the re-employment of some onto new contracts with lower pay and less benefits.
Actor & Comedian Stephen Fry was one of the first celebrities to back the campaign saying “It really does look as though British Airways’ board is using the pandemic as cover for some brutal behaviour.”
Others included Golfer Lee Westwood who said: “Surely the Government cannot allow this to happen?”
Good Morning Britain Presenter Piers Morgan also waded into the condemnation of the airline saying in a tweet: “I’m disgusted by the way @British_Airways is treating its staff. Just outrageous to make the whole 43,000-strong workforce redundant then rehire some back on massively reduced salaries. Shame on you, BA – these people made you a great airline, now you’re trashing them & it.”
The pressure comes as fears continue for the mental health of many BA Staff who not only facing the loss of their jobs but the prospect of much worse conditions and loss of benefits if they are able to stay.
According to a blog post by “serving international flight attendant” Mateusz Maszcynski union bosses have reported that “a long-serving member of British Airways cabin crew died by suicide” last week and another has reportedly displayed suicidal thoughts on social media.
The online petition to get British Airways to rethink plans has been signed by over 213,000 people. British actor Thandie Newton was among several celebrities to share the petition.
You can find out more about the BA Betrayal campaign here
