I'm gonna hate myself for this cos I said I was finished with this but......................
Leave was bought back in August to fill gaps in the programme.
It was subject to the requirement that each individual would still achieve at least the minimum annual days off laid down in law.
There are bucket loads of rumours about the 5/3 discussions.
Very, very few of them have any basis in fact whatsoever.
Any thoughts that it might become an occaisional 6/2 or 6/3 are complete tosh as there has been no formal proposal yet. Nothing has been put to the CC to consider and nothing has been taken by the CC to the members to vote on.
There have simply been discussions about how it might work. The CC believe it will and are doing their level best to prove it to the other side of the table.
Balpa members are hopeful - but no more than that - that there is a chance we might get it through.
As for the FTL thingy. There are even more rumours than the 5/3 saga. I have no idea where many of them come from. Maybe it's just to promote discussion but often it seems to be to try and create a hostile atmosphere for no good reason.
Nothing on the FTL matter has yet been considered worthy of even putting up for a vote by Balpa members - that says it all really.
Any new agreement must be just that - an agreement. Not a 'we aim to' or 'we would like' or 'whenever possible'.
I hope that's clear enough.