Found something on union recognition on a UK government website (
Statutory union recognition | Business Link)
From 6 April 2005, new legislation will change the process of statutory trade union recognition. If you employ 21 or more workers a union may ask you for recognition. If you agree to this, the statutory recognition process is completed.
If you ignore or refuse the request the union may apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for recognition for all or part of your workforce. CAC will accept the application if:
at least 10 per cent of the workers are union members
the majority of the workers are likely to favour union recognition
The CAC will then decide whether to automatically recognise the union or hold a ballot. If a ballot is called:
you will need to co-operate with the CAC in arranging the ballot
you must let the union have reasonable access to your workers, and allow the workers to go to union meetings
you should not attend the meetings or try and find out what happened at them
you must not intimidate or unduly influence your workers during the balloting process
the costs of the ballot will be shared by you and the union
If a majority supports recognition and makes up at least 40 per cent of the balloted workforce, you must recognise the union.
You can also apply for derecognition of a union using the same system if:
you have employed fewer than 21 workers over any 13 week period
three years have passed since CAC awarded recognition to the union
you have not already made an application in the last three years
I have put a section in bold to highlight it; you must not intimidate or unduly influence your workers during the balloting process
Surely threatening base closure and job losses is covered by this legislation?
If all you guys who are so against union recognition don't yet understand, if you roll over and allow the airline management to get away with something as fundamental as this - you will not be safe. It isn't about BALPA, this is about your long term job security. Try thinking a little further than this.
Consider the Southwest Airlines model that Ryanair professes to copy - Southwest have the highest level of union membership among aircrew, and the lowest level of staff turnover and some of the best T&Cs in the US. Is this maybe something to consider?