British Airways Asks Staff to Work for Free

BA boss vows to forego a month of his $1.2M salary
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 17, 2009 4:17 AM CDT
British Airways Asks Staff to Work for Free
A British Airways airplane at London's Heathrow Airport.   (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Thousands of British Airways staff have been asked to help boost the airline's battered bottom line by working for free for up to a month, CNN reports. Chief executive Willie Walsh emailed workers urging them to help the company survive by taking several weeks of unpaid leave and considering doing some work during the time off. Walsh promised to lead by example and forgo pay for a month.

"Many of you from across the airline are stepping up to help the company," wrote Walsh, who earns $1.2 million a year. "I am looking for every single part of the company to take part in some way in this cash-effective way of helping the company's survival plan. It really counts." Union officials said employees couldn't afford to work for free.
(More Willie Walsh stories.)

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