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British Airways’ (London) unions are hardening their positions, possibly against each other. In a press release, the Unite the Union warned the British Airlines Pilots Association (BALPA) that it was not acceptable for it to take a “neutral” stance over its members being used as possible strike-breakers in the dispute between British Airways and its cabin crew.

The two major unions, BA – Unite and the GMB, have issued a joint statement warning all BA employees that if they take up the company’s offer to become strike-breakers in the event of renewed industrial action between cabin crew and the airline, they will be putting their permanent jobs at risk.

The warning to BALPA follows a statement by the pilots union that it would take a neutral position on any of its members volunteering to work as strike breakers in the event of strike action being taken in the dispute over the imposition of changes to cabin crew numbers and working conditions. Unite is balloting over 12,000 cabin crew members on a possible strike, with the results expected on February 22.