British Airways workers and supporters from Esher and Walton are piling pressure on MP and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab over what has been described as a "betrayal" of its workforce by the aviation giant.

BA is accused by trade union Unite, who represent a number of BA employees including Esher and Walton residents, of floating plans to make its entire workforce of over 40,000 workers redundant and only re-hire those willing to take on an inferior terms contract following the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

BA workers represented by Unite were joined recently by supporters in Raab's constituency, who showed their support for the union's campaign against job losses and any deterioration in their employee contracts at the aviation company.

Many held placards at their places of work or at iconic sites around Esher and Walton holding banners that read "British Airways Stop Betraying Britain".

"Friends and neighbours have been showing their support for BA staff and are calling on Dominic Raab to act," Unite executive officer Sharon Graham said.

"British Airways' workers face an unprecedented attack on their jobs, pay and conditions in the middle of the worst health crisis in a century.

"There should be consequences to BA’s actions," she added, suggesting support for a campaign supported by over 100 MPs including Labour Leader Keir Starmer that demands BA lose some of its most lucrative landing spots at London Heathrow Airport.

Unionised BA workers have said previously their mental health has been severely impacted by BA's suggestion of job losses, with suicides reported among company employees in recent weeks.

On Friday (July 17), BA announced it was grounding its fleet of Boeing 747s "with immediate effect" due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 coronavirus on its flights.

In response to the campaign, Esher and Walton MP Raab told the Comet he appreciated BA workers' concerns and called for negotiations between workers and BA over new contract terms.

"I know this is very distressing news for BA employees and their families, and the Government stands ready to support them," Raab said, stopping short of voicing support for the campaign to change BA's access to its most lucrative slots at Heathrow.

"Airlines, like many other businesses, have faced big economic challenges during the pandemic, but where companies want to change the terms and conditions of employment, these should be negotiated and agreed between employer and employee – not arbitrarily imposed," Raab added.

"I am monitoring this situation very closely and listen to the views of those affected in Esher and Walton constituency."

BA said previously any plans for job losses or changes in contracts were floated with a view to consultation and that no redundancies have been confirmed so far.

Its workers represented by Unite meanwhile continue to call for sanctions against the airline after detailing the detrimental impact they say it has caused its workers.

"BA controls over half the landing slots at Heathrow," Unite's Sharron Graham pointed out.

"It is simply wrong for BA to have privileged access to landing slots while its workforce are being sacrificed for shareholder profits."