BALPA has slammed easyJet for unilaterally shutting down formal redundancy talks which have been in progress for the last several weeks aimed at mitigating the need for compulsory redundancies.

Talks had appeared to be going well and easyJet had just last week promised to consider BALPA’s suggestions, and further meetings were planned. There was no warning that easyJet would take this step.

The airline has also said it intends to go ahead with the closure of bases at Newcastle, Southend and Stansted affecting thousands of local jobs.

Brian Strutton, BALPA General Secretary, said, “This is an act of spectacular bad faith. Clearly easyJet management were just stringing our negotiating team along with no intention of reaching any kind of agreement.

“This is not an abstract issue. We’re talking about people’s jobs and livelihoods. We have put forward tough measures such as part-time and part-year working which would have significantly reduced the need for compulsory redundancies. Rather than considering these proposals easyJet have walked away.

“Staff members in easyJet are amazed at how far and how fast the culture in easyJet has changed and the anger and frustration is palpable.

“We do not blame easyJet for the downturn caused by Covid. But the way they have gone about dealing with it has been deplorable.

“We have a previously scheduled meeting with easyJet management tomorrow which we plan to attend to give easyJet a final chance to change course. Following that we will consult with our members on how they want to proceed.”

NOTES:

1.    easyJet pilots have previously taken part in a vote of no confidence in easyJet’s Chief Operations Officer, Peter Bellew, who joined the company from Ryanair in January. The result was 99.9% expressing no confidence in the COO.