Mods please dont remove. I have no axe to grind. This is a view from the Telegraph.
Good Luck to all.
If it were not so serious, the farcical collapse of the weekend talks intended to avert a strike of cabin crew at BA would have been laughable. Despite the sensitive nature of negotiations, Derek Simpson, the joint general secretary of the Unite union, thought it a good idea to give regular updates on their progress by tweeting, as if this were somehow any different from shouting the odds out of the window. Then a gaggle of Left-wingers from the Socialist Workers Party, something it was surprising to discover still exists, invaded the office where the talks were taking place, forcing their suspension. In the midst of the mayhem stood a bemused Willie Walsh, BA's chief executive, wondering what on earth was going on. Thousands of passengers whose travel plans will now be disrupted – and many more thinking of flying with the carrier over the summer, but now won't – must have looked on appalled. The Unite union, and especially the British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association (BASSA), who have taken the concept of mindless militancy to a whole new level, appears not to care that its company is making heavy losses (£1 billion over the past two years) or that the economic climate necessitates the sort of reforms Mr Walsh was proposing. The key, if not sole, demand of the would-be strikers now appears to be the restoration of perks that were withdrawn as a result of the previous stoppage, suggesting BASSA's original complaints have either been dealt with or dropped. It simply defies common sense for BA's cabin crew, who are far better paid than most of their counterparts, to contemplate further damaging the business and their own job prospects. Even now, at such a late hour, it might be possible to mitigate the worst impact of this damaging dispute – but the long-term damage to BA could be incalculable.
There's an awful lot on this forum about cabin crew going into work because of loss of pay and ST. That just isn't true! I'm actually down route and haven't had to go into work opposing the strike (although I would have still gone in) because my roster didn't put me in that position. Many crew, and all of my friends are opposing the strike because we are anti - BASSA. I'm down route but resigned my BASSA membership because I don't believe in them any more. Do we actually have your support, or are you just anti-cabin crew?
I want an end to this action. I support BA. I'm not anti any BA employee who is working for the good of BA. How many of you are with me?
Missymix If there DOES have to be a compromise, however undeserved.........
How about giving all the strikers exactly what they want – if, indeed, they know what that is? Give staff travel back with original date of joining. However, give the rest of the company (those that backed BA) a new staff travel priority code that overrides the strikers’ travel seniority. Therefore they will always have a lower priority than those who backed BA and will be placed at the back of the queue.
That way they can’t say they have ‘lost’ ST, or their seniority date. But it ‘rewards’ the rest of us who care about and have supported the company we work for.
That's what I call "thinking out the box" .... Edward de Bono would be proud of you!!!
For those who think the pilot volunteers are raking it in.....
Just got back from LHR after a 200+ mile round trip and was not needed. All that money for fuel, but no flight pay!!! Pilot volunteers that have lost their own trips, but still come into work are doing in because we believe that the future of our company is paramount!!
Time for the briefing and .................. a bunch of happy campers were sitting in the briefing room - they all smiled as I walked in and then said good-bye!! Boo hoo, after all the studying of avmed and SEP!!!!
I was able to look at the official list of vcc use today. Less than half the number of pilot volunteers were used today. The plan is to gradually increase the number of flights.................
then.........................................
'strikers, what strikers' - you are all ther weakest links, so here are your P45s. Hand in your IDs as you leave the building!!
Don't like the name!! But your post above was spot on.
Probably too much proper FACT for the bassamentalists to stomach. They have not availed themselves of the facts so far. I am sure the bassa 'poison' has ensured that no facts will reach them now.
The official said that for more than a year managers had refused to meet BASSA officials, in effect fatally undermining the union, even though it represents 93 per cent of BA cabin crew. “We have never met them at any level for a year. It has all gone.”
More Spin - wasn't it BASSA that refused to meet with British Airways?
So, they they now admit that no negotiation basically undermined themselves?
again another really fun positive day working on the shorthaul network, an absolute pleasure.
What also struck me today is that our crew (who were nightstopping with us lastnight on a non striking weekend) were all proud enough to admit to everyone that they would not be striking and their reasons, something in previous strikes they were to worried to do.
Made me smile when 2 of the crew had resigned from BASSA over the weekend ... now, who last week said 'this is the beginning of the end' .... oh yes, Mr Walsh in BA News
I operated a full 767 to a European destination with 68 pax in Club Europe and 172 in ET without a single empty seat. Four out of seven crew turned up, the rest called from standby without any delay to briefing. Four of my crew were BAASA members about to resign. We arrived at our destination ten minutes ahead of schedule, happy passengers and happy crew. Just back from a lovely dinner with my crew, all drinks this evening were on me to show my appreciation for coming in to serve our customers.
I am BA cabin crew who is proud to cross the picket line.
I've been on the BBC website and couldn't find anything on the strike or on the homepage. Could it be because it's a washout and it's not newsworthy anymore. Have BASSA finally lost?
Does this collective thread think that strikers should be punished?
Return of ST with new date of joining to lower priority is I believe an appropriate and proportionate response. However, I am confused as to whether or not the latest proposal is to give it back entirely if all else is agreed.
My bottom line is that I don't want this fiasco to happen again. I don't want people to think striking is an easy option. I want people to think long and hard before threatening to destroy BA. If permanent removal of ST is required for this to happen, then so be it. Nobody can say they weren't warned it would happen.
Actions have consequences.
ps I am reporting to the CRC in 30 minutes via the tube, and will post an update. I'll try and find out some figures.
It seems to me the strike is over before its started!
Im a temp and reported yesterday. The CRC was very busy. So much so, I reported to my briefing, and was offloaded and now on QRS. Need less to say, im still on QRS so obviously NOT needed. This is quite clear that alot of crew are turning up!
The only thing that disapoints me is that I was taken off and non cc flyers ( ie ground volunteers) were left on!
