We need to be strong and militant, so they cannot steam roller our T'C's.
BA is a business. It is run for the benefit of its shareholders. Not its staff, not even its passengers, but its shareholders. If you can get your head round this then you may understand where WW is coming from.
WW has a responsibility towards the shareholders to run the business efficiently. That includes keeping its costs under control. If any part of the business can be made more efficient, by maintaining service levels while reducing costs, then it’s WW’s job to make it so. You could actually argue that he’s been negligent by not reforming cabin crew T&C’s previously. Given BA’s current predicament, he might now see it as making a virtue out of necessity.
It's been well documented that the cost of BA cabin crew is twice that of it's nearest competitor. That is an unsightly blemish on BA's finances, and one which will be seen by the shareholders as eroding the value of their investment. That's why, sooner or later, BA will grasp this particular nettle. If WW bottles it, then it will be at the top of his successors in-tray.