Old Square silk to represent unions in actions against BA and Royal Mail

John Hendy QC has been instructed by partner Steve Cottingham at trade union firm OH Parsons & Partners to act for the Unite union in its High Court action against BA. The hearing takes place tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Hendy will appear in the High Court on Friday to represent the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in an effort to stop Royal Mail from employing 30,000 agency workers while its members are on strike.

For CWU Hendy has been instructed by Pattinson & Brewer partner Paul Statham.

Hendy, who stood down as head of Old Square Chambers in April, is used to acting on high-profile cases, appearing on behalf of crash victims in the Ladbroke Grove train crash inquiry in 2000.

On the BA case, Hendy will go head to head with Devereux Chambers’ Timothy Brennan QC, who has been instructed to act for BA by Baker & McKenzie partner John Evason.

Hendy will argue that imposing new employment contracts on BA’s 14,000 cabin crew constitutes a breach of contract. The unions wants the High Court to intervene to stop the changes, which will come into force on 16 December.

For CWU, it is understood that Hendy will argue that by taking on temporary workers Royal Mail will be in breach of the Conduct of Employment Regulations 2003, which stipulate the conditions under which temporary workers can be employed.