Strike at BA (CitiExpress)

[Tinytim]

Apparently the troops have had enough.

Strike action is being planned if a full and frank statement is not now given putting an end to all the speculation and rumours about the future of this company and the many bases faced with closure and sale.

[Jackdaw]

The whole thing is a complete disaster. Let everyone find out a week before Christmas that they won't have a job in Jan.
Worse than that, let everyone find out by the back door, through handling agents, friends in other airlines, engineers, leaks, the list goes on.
Yet the "management" in place haven't the civility to inform the workers anything.
Doubtless they will tell every one soon enough. But the damage is done. There will be no picking up the pieces. If the whole "management team" aren't sacked over this disgraceful behaviour then there will never again be any goodwill in whatever remains in the ashes of BRAL and Brymon.
I hope the share price crumbles - that is the only thing that will wake up these incompetents who are trying to run the show.

[TwinAisle]

If this happens, let me know where I can join you on a picket line - as a passenger with BACX, I am sick to death of such good people (the crew) being messed around by such a-holes (mgmt). Perhaps if they won't listen to you guys, they might listen to those who pay their salaries.... particularly those of us who live in C class.....

I bet I won't be the only pax out there with you either.

TA
(48 sectors on BACX this year, 44 in C class - you listening, management??)

[peeteechase]

Come on guys. Is this info. about a strike legit or not?
I know quite a few BACX pilots and havent heard a hint of IA.
What a great way for one of their competitors to have a crack and cause loss of bookings.
In my opinion this thread should be deleted immediately or moved to the BACX (secure) section.
I would love to know who these contributors really are, and who they work for.
a disgusted PTC

[BluffOldSeaDog]

I disagree that this thread should be deleted, this is afterall a rumor network and I'm sure that other industrys have similar (if not as well developed) access to sites where they can post inflamatory comments which may be mis-conceived by the outside world. Some of my less trustworthy bretherin don't fancy handing over their personal info. to obtain access to the BACE forum and that is their perogative. I leave it to their conciences as to where and what they want to post. TinyTim, for example, is a well respected member of the BACE forum who's opinions and comments are more often than not right on the money

BluffOldSeaDog
BACE Moderator:p

[Flatspin Fumble]

But I think Tiny Tim is out of order on this one.

Perhaps he would be better employed as a game show host, such as " Have I Got News For You " I think they are looking for a new presenter.

[In trim]

Whatever happens, and whatever the truth is, you guys have my full support. I totally agree with TwinAisle......the way you are being treated is appalling.

About time BA sat up and listened. They cannot go on treating their staff like 5h1t forever and expect to get away with it.

I've been there....it's not nice.

BA....sit up and listen. These regional routes have a lot of regular pax who know the crews due to the size of the bases. When the likes of TwinAisle start looking elsewhere because of BA's behaviour, you've got a problem.

[JPjoystick]

It`s the first i`ve heard of a strike.However,it is a very unhappy workforce at the moment.
The continuation of delaying the Big announcement is doing nothing to improve that.Too much uncertainty continues and we know the news will make a very bad christmas for some of us.Come on guys (management) end the misery,it`s not a lot of fun flying around without knowing where we`re going to be soon,or who we may or may not be working for!

[barbie pilot]

It's the first I have heard about a strike, where did that come from? latest one I heard was annoucement next tuesday, but nothing solid just more rumour. It is true to say that everyone is p***ed off with the way management has not even had the cortessy to tell anyone that there is even going to be an annoucement though, if any jobs are lost then they should be the first to go, it's a pitty we can't get more pax involved cos they sure as s**t don't listen or have any regard for us

[hostie]

I may be missing the point here, but I'd just like to clarify something.

The company is (allegedly) going to tell us that it doesn't need or want us anymore,
so... to make them sit up and take notice - we go on strike

therefore they don't have to pay us AND get to prove that they really can manage very well without us.

I just want to make sure I've got this right?????????????????:confused:

[marlowe]

hows this strike being coordinated? nobody seems to know anything about it, and if we did would the mismanagement notice? They would just think it was an exceptional day for no
late departures!!!

[Tinytim]

The proposed action of a days protest is to hit home in a manner which BA will be unable to ignore that they have a group of workers who are at their wits end with being abused and ignored.

No, many of you wont have heard anything yet but if there is not an announcement within the next few days then, this protest will become a reality and everyone will have an opportunity of demonstrating just what they think of Messrs Evans' and Hearn's grasp on the business of CitiExpress.

The point is that the one thing BA management understand is the importance of presenting the illusion to the City that here is a well run company with a motivated and productive workforce. If a group of its workers revolt then that illusion is shown for the lie that it is.

The intention is to draw the interest of the media to what is an utter shambles and thereby force the City and institutions which support BA to ask some rather profound questions as to why they are supporting a company which time and time again demonstrates that it neither has the management nor the strategy to deal with running an airline business.

If there does not follow the most thorough and far reaching culling of the individuals responsible for this mess then the business is doomed in any event.

Thats all!

[Lavdumperer]

Can someone recap what BA's plan is? I am sorry to hear about furloughs or dismissals - seems to be a common theme in the States. What are the current plans for CitiExpress in the New Year (hence cause of the potential industrial action)?


Thanks

[AOG007]

In a way, I'm glad to see that the crew's are now suffering at the hands of the mis-management. However, the slight smirk across my face is only aimed at some of the pompus personel, whom thought they were untouchable, whilst I was suffering two years ago.

This mess has gone on for far to long now, and I therefore support all my friends still in the company, and wish you all the best.

As for the management........ Well I have always said that they would be uncovered, and any Brymon personel can see the root cause of the problem. BRAL Management. Simple as that. They may have been running the larger of the two companies at the time the merger was announced, but from the first moment I started meeting these individuals, it did'nt take long to realise that they were incompetent. As a result, many Brymon managers either walked, or allowed themselves to be pushed, because they were not prepared to work under these so called aviation professionals.

Just look at the management structure, and see how many Brymon personel are still in the GM Roles..... Don't think you'll find it is many. Brymon had a much happier feeling about it, which is something that was not evident when I visited the Isle Of Man. Maybe I just went on a bad day, but generally the staff were rude, miserable, and generally not Brymon.

The whole thing has been one big bad joke, and the only person smiling is Sir Michael Bishop. He certainly knew it was easier to sell BRAL to BA, than try and get BRAL off that darn Island.

Hit them where it hurts....... Cause unprecidented disruption, and you may just find that the Car Saleman, goes and does exactly that, and hopefully takes a few of the others with him.

AOG007 - In The Sun!

[Sledge]

Roster issue has been delayed until the 18th,the day following the alleged anouncement of our future size and shape.Mmmm I smell Poo.

(Mush!! Mush!!)

[JOCKEY]

A lot of silly talk here about strikes. The management are fully aware of how we all feel and I'm sure that by going on a "cat" strike is not only illegal without a ballot, it will not change anything. However, the way to coordinate strike action is through BALPA. Does anyone know what that wonderful institution is doing to help BACX pilots? If we on our own are not getting through to our management then perhaps we should attempt to get BALPA to get through to them. That is after all what a trade union is there for - a collective representation of the workforce. We can sit all day on these forums and speak of action, but it will not affect the decision making process of managment. Representaion from BALPA, however, just might.

[Hubble]

LBA, NCL, PLH, CWL bases to close.
Jetstream 41 Pilots to be seconded to Eastern Airways flying existing routes.

PLH Dash 8 Operation will be run by a new company (something to do with PLH airport.) more possible secondments.

RJ100 fleet to be operated soley out of Manchester all 16 of them (BA mainline pilots) Citi Express will slowly take the crewing over.

BHX Base to be EMB 145 fleet only (+2 ATP's.) Not much flying to be done here then.

Two extra EMB 145 to go to Bristol.

LGW Base to open at the end of next year.
(That would be a good base for some RJ100 aircraft)

An All Jet Operation in 18 months.
No Pilot Redundancies.
EDI and Glasgow survive. How I don't Know.

The Hubble sees all.

[peeteechase]

With all sympathy to those like Tiny Tim who may have their lifestyle affected by base closures etc. (and I've been there, seen it,done it and got the teeshirt)
I think it total madness to potentially damage your employer by spreading strike rumours in such a public medium.
BACE are no more a charity than any other company and in the present climate they will do anything to reduce losses..
Surely it's better to be part of a stronger airline and take a company move than end up losing your job?

ATB, PTC

[Amazon man]

Hubble,

Would you care to enlighten your fellow workers as to where your information has come from as you seem to have poured petrol onto a smouldering fire with these latest revelations.

One small point you make no mention of Southampton are we to read into this that there are no changes happening down south or is it to be removed without trace from the BACX network.

[Dai Rear]

There has has been no talk of a strike in heucter teuchter land. All talk of a strike is stupid until the talentless mis-management make the announcement. Then it will be pointless unless we are organised with tangible and specific goals.

"There will be no bevvying . . . "

Much better to consider bad publicity (by telling the truth about the mis-management) and invlove the media. Hopefully the moth-eared kangaroo will then get up off his hind legs. :mad: :p

[stalling attitude]

if hubble is correct and all these bases do close BA will have taken two companies with large route networks and numerous bases and effectively shrunk them so that they are only left with the bases at which BA already had a base ( excepting BRS , IOM and SOU ) and those bases will be operating smaller aircraft , more EMB145's and less Boeings and Airbus.

So sad :(

[ACE Dispatcher]

This Just in:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BRITISH AIRWAYS has begun work on a new “future size and shape” review that will lead to a revamp of its UK regional network.
Rod Eddington, chief executive, is understood to have asked managers of BA CitiExpress, a wholly-owned BA subsidiary and the largest regional airline in Europe, for a rethink of strategy and a cull of underperforming routes.

Company sources say the review is unlikely to lead to large numbers of job losses, but base and route closures are on the cards, as is the withdrawal of several aircraft types.
The CitiExpress review will carry the same process into the regional network. It is thought that the company will concentrate on just two aircraft types, rather than the five currently operated.

BA managers are thought to favour an eventual move to an all-jet operation, with BA CitiExpress using only Avro RJ100s and Embraer 145s. Most of the turboprop fleet, which comprises Jetstream 41s, Dash 8-300s and ATP aircraft, would be retired or sold to small airlines, which would operate routes in co-operation with BA but not in BA colours.

The company yesterday declined to comment on the plan but confirmed that it was undertaking a review of the CitiExpress network.
=============================================

[smallfry]

The Sunday Times business section has an article on this. Nothing really new - aim to be point to point (business centres) all jet fleet ideally. Turboprops to be phased out, new jets in one day. So, nothing we didn't already know.
A pal in Eastern apparently confirms the purchase (Gift?) of the 41's.
We await further developments with bated breath! Anyone jot a job for a TP FO?

[In trim]

If Hubble's info is right about a potential future BACX base at LGW, what will the mainline guys think of that? After all, that's one of the main reasons they 'integrated' CityFlyer!!

Personally I think LGW would be a great place to run a wholly owned subsidiary at a lower cost base with a mix of RJ100 and other smaller regional aircraft.....now there's an idea!

[Atropos]

Silly me, there I was labouring under the misapprehension that you all wanted to work at the wonderful bases you are already at and at decent salaries with decent T's and C's. Now it seems that you are willing to move bases and work for less than you could just to try and prove a point!

Or were all those hard nosed posts I was reading a few weeks ago on another thread the results of an unrepresentative vociferous minority?