The union chief behind the British Airways dispute flew out for a luxury sunshine holiday yesterday – as his cabin crew members began a fresh strike, ruining trips for thousands.While 10,000 BA customers had their travel plans axed and hundreds of flights were cancelled, Tony Woodley and his wife Janet jetted to Cyprus for a week’s break at an exclusive air-conditioned villa with private swimming pool.
Mr Woodley, 62, did not fly with BA, ensuring that his trip was not affected by the industrial action. He also escaped the wrath of his members by avoiding BA aircraft manned by non-striking ‘scabs’.
The £122,000-a-year joint general secretary of Unite was expected to have been a key player in a fresh round of peace talks with BA chief executive Willie Walsh this week.
It was hoped the negotiations would avert another round of strikes planned for next month in the long-running row over pay, staffing levels and working conditions.
The main sticking point in the dispute is the airline’s refusal to reinstate free staff and family travel perks for crew who have been involved in the five strikes held so far this year.
But at lunchtime yesterday, Mr Woodley left the crisis far behind.
Dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and dark casual trousers, he drove his wife the 26 miles from their smart £350,000 detached home near Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, to Manchester Airport 40 minutes away, before boarding a flight to Paphos in Cyprus.
BA negotiators were said to be ‘stunned’ when they were told by mediators at the TUC late last week that Mr Woodley would not be available because he was ‘going on holiday to Cyprus’.
Last month, Mr Woodley missed negotiations with BA because he was in Cuba celebrating the 51st anniversary of the revolution that swept Fidel Castro to power.
His latest jaunt has infuriated BA bosses and surprised many within his union.
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