Pilots slam Easyjet for dodging redundancy talks

LONDON - British pilots`union 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," Balpa said. "There was no warning that Easyjet would take this step."

The airline 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", Balpa General Secretary Brian Strutton said. "Clearly Easyjet management were just stringing our negotiating team along with no intention of reaching any kind of agreement."