Having been contacted by constituents who are in the British Airways Pension Scheme,I was pleased to attend and speak in a debate in Parliament on Monday, called by Kate Green MP, concerning the plight of former British Airways employees who have had their pension plans changed. I was also honoured to have met with the representatives of the group in Parliament.
I have been contacted by numerous constituents unhappy at the changing of the rating system from RPI (Retail Price Index) to CPI (Consumer Price Index) which increases at a lower rate.
The members of the scheme are angry that BA are not delivering on promises that were made when they initially joined the pension scheme. BA have attempted to make changes to that scheme and also attempted to shift members to another pension scheme that was set up following privatisation in 1984.
There is cross party consensus – the debate on Monday was supported by Conservative Chris Grayling MP – that the concerns raised by the former employees need to be urgently addresses.
I urge British Airways to end this long running saga. These employees have given the airline years of service, and have helped turn BA into a respected brand across the world. They deserve to be treated with honesty and respect.