Apparently the spin given by the BA management easily persuades some simpletons here. The average salary of a BA pilot is £160k p/a! Really!!! Therefore anyone that gets paid more than me is an overpaid sponger.....
The Atlantic Barons on the old contract big bucks are either gone or close to retirement. The company comprises many new pilots who have either trained with BA and have the $$$$ obscene debt from the experience or the direct entry guys who have moved on from Easy or Ryanair. The ab-initios earn around £26k before deductions and the direct entry guys £45-50 with all new hires going on the new contract.
They want a pay rise linked to RPI, not one that might just keep pace with inflation. By the looks of it BA want this strike more than the pilots. Top of BA's wish-list is BALPA out of the picture. Then BA can get of with slashing costs and squeezing employees without union interference. It's all about profit, profit and more profit.