PRESS DIGEST - British business - April 3

The Times

PILOTS' STRIKE THREAT PUTS MORE PRESSURE ON WALSH

British Airways (BAY.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) chief executive Willie Walsh is facing increasing pressure, as the airline lost 1.75 pence to 247.5 pence on Wednesday. The British Air Line Pilots' Association is readying a statement slamming Walsh and calling for more effective leadership of the group, while shareholder Axa Investment Managers' UK equities fund manager Richard Marwood wants to know how much the chaos at Heathrow's Terminal 5 will cost, saying: "I've read that it could reach 50 million pounds. A one-off cost we can live with, but if it drags on it risks damaging BA's reputation." Walsh is also under fire for blocking Balpa strike action over BA's planned OpenSkies launch.

CARPHONE MAY BID FOR TISCALI UK ARM

Carphone Warehouse (CPW.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) may bid for Tiscali's UK arm "at the right price," according to a source, though the mobile phone group on Wednesday night declined to comment. Tiscali on Monday said that it had appointed JPMorgan Chase and Banca IMI to evaluate strategic options targeting higher shareholder value. Market sources have put a price tag of between 550 million pounds and 650 million pounds on the unit. US mobile retail chain Best Buy has also been linked with a bid for the business and is already in partnership with Carphone Warehouse.

THREAT OF UNION ACTION CASTS CLOUD OVER 20 BILLION POUNDS AUCTION TO RUN SELLAFIELD

The Prospect, GMB and Unite unions have rejected a pay offer of two percent for their nuclear workers, the former's national officer for energy, Mike Graham, saying: "We are absolutely disgusted with the pay offer and it could well lead to industrial action. This is a time of the biggest change for Sellafield and we are being offered a very low reward." A spokesman for the nuclear plant said that the offer "is in line with the government's recently published public sector pay guidelines," and is "intended to help increase the efficiency of the business, which is a necessary step towards securing our long-term future."

The Daily Telegraph

M&S BID TO QUELL ROSE ROW