BA's sacking of the Unite Bassa branch secretary, Duncan Holley (BA union threatens 20-day strike, 7 May), is the latest twist in its bitter dispute with cabin crew. Holley was dismissed for the alleged offence of taking unauthorised time off work to conduct union business. However, there is a wider canvass to this sacking. His sacking is a calculated and inflammatory act, making Holley the fifth union activist to be dismissed during this dispute.

It is ironic that the original issues in the dispute now have been resolved and that the sticking points derive from BA's draconian responses to the union's strikes, namely, the removal of staff travel payments and victimisation of members for campaigning to make the union's action effective. The sacking of Holley just adds another layer to this and is no way to resolve the contested issues on fair and amicable terms.

Despite Willie Walsh's protestations when replying to the letter from 100 industrial relations academics (26 March), the only plausible conclusions are that BA is still bargaining in bad faith and does not want to settle the dispute without trying also to break the union. As industrial relations academics, all our experience and research tells us that BA's actions are a recipe for further strife.

Professor Gregor Gall, University of Hertfordshire

Professor Mark Stuart, University of Leeds

Dr Brian Abbott, Kingston University

Sue Abbott, Senior Lecturer, Northumbria University

Dr. Maurizio Atzeni, Loughborough University

Dr David Beale, University of Manchester

George Bell, London South Bank University

Paul Brook, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr Iona Byford, University of Portsmouth

Liam Campling, Queen Mary University of London

Nick Creaby-Attwood, Northumbria University

Dr Hazel Conley, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Christine Cooper, University of Strathclyde

Professor Andy Danford, University of the West of England

Professor Ralph Darlington, University of Salford

Dr Jimmy Donaghey Queens University Belfast

Demet Dinler, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Dr Chris Forde, University of Leeds

Professor Irena Grugulis, Bradford University

Dr Deborah Hann, Oxford Brookes University

Dr Jane Holgate, Working Lives Research Institute

Professor Debra Howcroft, University of Manchester

Dr Rima Hussein, Northumbria University

Professor Emeritus Jeff Hyman, University of Aberdeen

Dr Lefteris Kretsos, Coventry University

Dr Daniel King, Nottingham Trent University

Dr Jo McBride, University of Bradford

Dr Robert MacKenzie, University of Leeds

Ian Manborde, Ruskin College, Oxford

Professor Sonia McKay, Working Lives Research Institute

Professor Miguel Martinez Lucio, University of Manchester

Dr Sian Moore, Working Lives Research Institute

Dave Napier, London Metropolitan University

Dr Helen Richardson, University of Salford

Dr Michael Richardson, University of the West of England

Dr Melanie Simms, University of Warwick

Dr. Andrew Smith, University of East London

Professor Paul Stewart, University of Strathclyde

Professor Phil Taylor, University of Strathclyde

Dr Ian Towers, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht, Berlin

Dr Matt Vidal, King's College London

Dr Steve Vincent, University of Leeds

Dr Steve Williams, University of Portsmouth

David Wray, Northumbria University

• It was good to see such a ringing endorsement of democracy. On a high turnout and by a large majority BA staff have voted to defend their colleagues from the arbitrary decisions. Can we please enter a coalition with them?

John Stirling

Morpeth, Northumberland

The Guardian Tuesday 11 May 2010