UK - Trade union, GMB has said its members at British Airways (BA) will not strike, despite failing to reach an agreement on pensions with the company today.

GMB, representing 4,500 baggage handlers working for BA, said in a statement that negotiations had been constructive and would continue, but added that there had been "no resolution to the pensions issue" so far.

"Today's talks have been thorough, constructive and frank and I feel have led to a better understanding of the issues between GMB members and BA," said GMB's national negotiator with BA, Ed Blisset.

He added that further talks are imminent, but only after BA has considered the proposals that the union has put to the company today. The union declined to be more specific on the details of these proposals.

On Monday, the union rejected suggestions by the management on how to deal with a £2.1bn (€3.2bn) pension hole, voting against the management proposal that would see BA pay £800m into the final salary scheme before May and around £280m for the next 10 years. In turn, some members' benefits would be decreased.

A GMB spokeswoman told IPE that no new date for further talks was in sight yet, but that the union is "exploring every avenue to avoid the need for an industrial ballot."