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Union members to vote on settlement with British Airways that restores travel privileges and takes sackings into arbitration An agreement has been reached to end the long-running British Airways cabin crew dispute, the Unite union has confirmed. The deal is being put to a mass meeting of Unite members near Heathrow airport and is expected to be recommended for acceptance in a ballot. The deal will end 18 months of hostilities that included 22 days of walkouts. It includes the restoration of travel concessions for cabin crew, the issue that was holding up a settlement. The Unite leader, Len McCluskey, said he was “delighted” to have reached an agreement and it was good news for the workers, the airline and its customers. Bassa, Unite’s main cabin crew branch, said in email to members: “The talks have now concluded to the satisfaction of both parties. “If the branch agrees, the negotiated settlement will be put to the full membership in a postal ballot.” McCluskey said: “We always said that this dispute could only be settled by negotiation, not by confrontation or litigation. And so it has proved. “We are delighted to have reached an agreement which I believe recognises the rights and dignity of cabin crew as well as the commercial requirements of the company. This agreement will allow us to go forward in partnership together to strengthen this great British company – good news for BA, its employees and its customers alike. “I am particularly pleased that staff travel concessions will be restored in full with the signing of the agreement and the implementation of the new structure for working together that we have negotiated. A customer-oriented business can only succeed with all its employees valued and respected. Two previous peace agreements were scrapped after Unite declined to recommend them because of concerns over sanctions against crew members who took part in strikes last year. It is understood the agreement restores staff travel perks stripped from thousands of crew who took part in the strikes, as well as allowing arbitration of the dozens of disciplinary cases – including sackings – that were linked to the dispute. BA’s worst ever industrial relations dispute began in 2009 when the airline unilaterally reduced staffing levels on long-haul flights after a voluntary redundancy programme. Unite launched a strike ballot in protest at the cuts and the lack of consultation, triggering a year of high court hearings, strike votes and walkouts. Changes in leadership on both sides this year raised hopes of a deal being struck. Willie Walsh, who had been BA’s chief executive, moved upstairs to the airline’s parent group and Tony Woodley, the joint general secretary of Unite, handed over the reins to McCluskey. In a bizarre interlude in the peace talks between Walsh and Woodley last year, members of the Socialist Workers party broke into discussions at the Acas conciliation service. British Airways Unite Airline industry Travel & leisure Trade unions Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk