Should BA offer money to stop sick leave?

Unions representing baggage handlers and check-in staff at British Airways are considering an improved pay offer.

BA hopes to ward off a 24 hour strike, which would disrupt hundreds of flights over the Bank Holiday weekend.

It's proposing to give workers an extra £1,000, if they take no more than 16 days off sick over two years.

The strike would mainly affect Heathrow and Gatwick over the bank holiday period, but could hit another seven UK airports.

Should employers offer incentives for turning up to work? Are BA putting too much pressure on their workers? Are unions right to threaten to strike?

This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.

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The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received:

SUGGEST A DEBATE This topic was suggested by Robin Ogilvy, UK: Should we give workers bonuses for turning up to work? Send us your suggestions for Have Your Say debates

I's really down to presentation. I (and I think many people) would have no problem with the principle of docking employees pay by £1000/pa if they take more than 16 days off sick, so what's the problem with paying them the same if they don't?
Pete, Birmingham, UK

Rewarding people for not shirking work is stupid - and those who are ill suffer for it. However this strike is also stupid - they will cost the company a huge amount of money, so there will be less available for them to offer improved pay and the more they strike the less there will be available. I assume that they all have other jobs lined up?
Brendan, London, England

Good on BA for trying to tackle the 'throw a sickie, no-one will notice' culture - why should somebody who takes every other Friday/Monday off 'sick' get the same benefit as someone who actually turns up for work (and presumably does the work of the person off sick as well as their own work). And as for the unions, when are they going to learn that strikes are pointless. Strike equals passengers choose another airline equals less income to pay staff equals job losses - it's simple!
Dan, London, UK

If you don't want to do a job then leave, don't expect your company to support you if your performance is below average without good reason. If these people drive BA into bankruptcy they will have but themselves to blame. I'm guessing all these people will then be able to get much better paid and more interesting jobs immediately?
Marc, Singapore ex UK

When people condemn the workers who in the end create all the wealth, they condemn humanity. You might as well say you hate people. If you love people you will see that the system is sick, not your neighbour. Paying is just a bribe continuing the immorality.
Michael Harris, Cork, Ireland

As a very frequent international flyer, I actively AVOID using BA, due to their chronically poor overall standards of quality and service. So as far as I am concerned, they can all throw a sickie.
Simon, Hong Kong

Rewarding people for doing what they should be doing anyway is insane. As long as your illness is not effecting the quality of the work you should be there doing your job, that's what your paid to do.
John, USA

The job is menial so the pay is okay. If they are not happy then they should get a job elsewhere. BA should sack any who strike. Join the real world!!!!
Julian, Reading, UK

The incentive to turn up to work is a pay packet at the end of the month and staff discount if you're lucky Dave Pallett, Slough, UK

The incentive to turn up to work is a pay packet at the end of the month and staff discount if you're lucky. That should be enough. BA's unions are not right to strike over the matter of pay. I am BA cabin crew and most of us currently sympathise with the ground staff's problems. Personally I stand to miss out on a three day trip and over £200 if they refuse to work, so any sympathy I had will go straight down the nearest evacuation slide.
Dave Pallett, Slough, UK

Employees are human beings, and humans get sick occasionally. If you don't want to fork out sick pay, annual leave, etc., you're free to hire contractors instead -- and expect the 200% mark-up that comes with doing so, because they have to foot the bill for the inevitable themselves...
Chris, UK

Great, so the plane cabins and airports will be full of ill staff! Err, thanks BA! Striking doesn't affect the management of the company, it only affects the customers of BA and other airline passengers. It will erode any sympathy we as passengers have for their plight.
Brian , Edinburgh Scotland

I don't see why BA should not offer a sick leave bonus. But it is disingenuous to offer it instead of a promised pay rise, especially when office staff have already received a far higher percentage.
Bob Harvey, Lincs, UK

BA staff seem to make a habit of threatening their employer, or worse still their customers. It is about time we shopped elsewhere - then they can find jobs which they actually like!
Steve Gowt, South Wales, UK

I for one am sick of constant strikes by one group or another, and I long for the Thatcher days to return, when the unions knew their place - which was at the bottom of the pile.
Russell Long, UK

Every time I fly BA, the flight is delayed. Is there a link?
Nigel MacDonald, Camborne, UK

How many people objecting to this proposal would be willing to work for the same wages? Paul, Limerick, Ireland

Airline baggage workers are amongst the lowest paid employees in Britain-this is the nub of the problem. How many people objecting to this proposal would be willing to work for the same wages?
Paul, Limerick, Ireland

Sack half the staff... pay the rest double - that way everyone's happy. Just sack the ones that have a problem coming to work.
Leigh, UK

There should be no such thing as sick pay unless a doctor has to do a home visit due to illness. If they can make it to the surgery they can make it work.
T Newman, Bournemouth UK

Let the unions continue the way they are going at BA. I for one will have no sympathy when they force the airline to close, and before the naysayers jump on board, it has already happened to Swissair and Sabena. Let's face it the legacy carriers are dinosaurs who are hamstrung by the unions! For every BA you have 20 or 30 Virgins or Easyjets waiting in the wings to take up the slack.
Neil, East Grinstead UK

No they should be offered more money to do their job. Their salaries are low for London and BA should look at the causes of the high absenteeism rates; and address any deficiencies in the working environment which is high stress.
Ian Graham, London UK

Easy to spot the British Airways check in staff in this talking point. Eh! Ian Graham - Passenger Services Agent??? Personally I am opposed to the concept of rewarding people for not taking sickies. People should be penalised for taking sickies. Totally the wrong approach.
Craig G, Farnborough, UK

It's a great idea for BA or any other company plagued by absenteeism Julie, London

Yes - it's a great idea for BA or any other company plagued by absenteeism. Other schemes, such as not being paid for the first day of sickness, really do punish those with, for instance, flu. It does cause problems for those who genuinely need to have an operation etc. However I think it's a first step to beat the shirkers.
Julie, London

This is a weak move by BA and sends the wrong signal to its workers. Absenteeism in the public sector and former nationalised industries is a cultural problem which should be addressed at an individual level. Instead of giving incentives the management should be given formal written warnings.
Ian, Bradford UK

This is a cheap gesture to prevent people being given a decent pay rise Louise Keane, Reading

This is not a bribe to stop them going off sick, this is a cheap gesture to prevent people being given a decent pay rise. BA management do not want to give the proper workers a pay rise above 2.8% yet at the same time have awarded the top brass 5.6% pay increase this year.
Louise Keane, Reading

People take time off because they hate their jobs. I think employers ought to make things more interesting and enjoyable for people.
Andrew M, Walsall, UK

I would prefer it if the check-in staff stayed at home when they were ill. The last thing I want is their germs when I'm off on my holidays!
Catherine O, Maidenhead, UK

If people can't be bothered to come into work they should be sacked. They'd have the opportunity to look for a job they actually want, and can be bothered, to do.
Giles Clinker, London, UK

Workers are not encouraged to enjoy the workplace Anon, Manchester UK

In today's work climate, workers are not encouraged to enjoy the workplace. If you enjoy it - you are less liable to pull the "sicky". Far too often we look at the negative way of dealing with sickness - warnings etc. Why not put something in place to encourage people to work - such as 100% attendance bonus?
Anon, Manchester UK

If you understand and respect the repercussions of your absence then you will be more willing to make an effort at work and subsequently make work better for you. Too many people think "job" and it's a cycle that is degenerating employment conditions everywhere.
Andrew, London, UK

No way, just up their pay if it is too low, but you are paid to do a job and if you are caught going sick when you are not then you should be fired. If you are sick then you should not be at work at all. This is ridiculous. You get rewards for performing extra well, but not just for doing your basic job.
Nina, UK

It seems crazy but this is in fact normal practice in the United States. Of course BA passengers are being held to ransom - same as Tube strikers, firemen and the like, it is always the customers and public who are used as the ultimate bargaining tool. In an industry dependent on the goodwill and repeat business of its customers it is rather odd that the staff should treat its lifeblood that way - but that's what you get when you privatise effective monopolies - the private enterprise ethos of customer service is the last thing on the mind of fat cats and staff - personal wealth is the priority.
Nigel, London, UK

So in order to get more money to go on holidays etc BA staff are quite willing to ruin the holidays of people in other professions? They aren't going to win much public support that way, especially since they are deliberately targeting the bank holiday, a naturally busy time.
Vik, UK

They should be paid a decent wage in the first place Peter, London

No, they should be paid a decent wage in the first place and not have to be bribed by an offer of £1000 not to go sick. This 'incentive' could backfire with people who do not take many days of sick deciding to take a few extra days near the end of the 2 year qualifying period knowing that they would still qualify. BA should be trying to find out why some staff (and not by any means all) take more than twice the national average in days of sick and work out those who are genuine and those who are just throwing sickies and take action (including dismissal).
Peter, London

What a nation we've become. Of course employers should treat their staff with respect and fairness but so many people offer nothing in return. They see ripping off their employer as a fair game. Whatever happened to personal integrity? How about an annual bonus for convicted criminals if they don't rob anybody? That's the same level of absurdity
Paul B, Oxford, UK

Maybe this is a face-saver for BA and the Unions. However this whole episode is like turkeys voting for Christmas. Whilst I do not want to see anyone losing their job, surely the whole check-in process, apart from security checks, can be automated?
Mark, Glasgow, UK

Since being made redundant I have had to work contract - so if I don't work I don't get paid. That's a pretty good incentive not to be ill. Anyway, how can a cash incentive actually stop you getting ill; you are either ill or not ill. You are either skiving or not skiving. This is totally absurd and only further feeds the stupid mentality of those who will take advantage.
Mike, Gravesend, Gravesend, UK

I wonder how many BA staff members will take exactly 15 days off over the 2 years. This is nothing more than BA saying that it is okay to take 15 "duvet days" during the 2-year period. Outrageous.
Derek, Brighton

Staff should not need extra money for not taking sick. Better working conditions and hours will cure the problem, stop working your staff like dogs
Nick, Wales

If I work for somebody I am selling my labour. If I phone in sick when I am not sick and charge for that labour then I am guilty of fraud it's as simple as that. Sick pay for the sick is fine and indeed fair but if workers want a fair deal from their employer then they must offer the same in return.
Philip Cleveland, UK

Yes, BA (and other employers) should offer an incentive for not going 'sick' - the incentive would be to not get the sack for being a lazy layabout!
Neil Wallace, Sheffield, England

This is ridiculous!!! The incentive to turn up to work should be to earn a salary, people should not need another cash incentive to stop them calling in sick!!! I'm sure BA wont be pulling this out of their pockets either, this cost will be passed on to the customer yet again.
Beck, Cardiff

People play on illness - a cold is not ill Alan, Scotland

People play on illness - a cold is not ill. Too many people take advantage of sick pay and I think BA should offer an incentive but 16 days is too much - I would say 2 periods off illness in 2 years.
Alan, Scotland

This rewards the shirkers and punishes those who are genuinely ill.
Gerry, Scotland