British Airways asks staff to work for free in July or take leave

British Airways is asking its staff to work for nothing in July.

The air carrier asked about 30,000 employees in the U.K. to voluntarily take between one week and one month of unpaid leave or unpaid work.

The company said it needs the concession from workers as it tries to weather the tough economy.

The company's chief executive officer, Willie Walsh, will forego about £62,000 ($115,500 Cdn) in salary to work for free for the month.

"I am looking for every single part of the company to take part in some way in this cash-effective way of helping the company's survival plan," Walsh said.

Reuters reported that BA said roughly 1,000 workers have agreed to the measure since it was initially launched in May.

However, some employees are flatly rejecting the company's request.

"Everyone is up in arms. We're not taking it. I'd love to take a month's unpaid leave but I can't afford to do that," the British Broadcasting Corporation quoted an unnamed baggage handler at London's Heathrow airport.