bex88
Very disingenuous.
Remember that during each pay negotiation, or change in t&c's, or any event affecting pilot numbers/recruitment or status (eg BMI integration) we have certain options which include acceptance, voting, striking etc. But it's BA who set the agenda generally.
Last year's strike clearly demonstrated that there isnt the leadership or unity to make a stand against the company, no matter the importance of the issue. Who would strike to increase whitetail starter pay? No-one! In fact we've lobbied hard to maintain entry level pay - but when pilots will work for literally nothing to get a rating and hours it's hard to convince the company to raise their pay. Equally why would the company pay for a cadet scheme when cadets will find the money themselves?
In the years 2007 to 2013 BA was really struggling (for many reasons). The BACC's strategy was to maintain the MSL and encourage recruitment.
It was assumed that pilots would still be keen to join BA as the choice was low-cost pay and/or zero hours contracts (or the ME).
Personally, I was keen to support new joiners to BA rather than prevent them from having the option to join us. BARP was sold to us without the fine print and was much poorer than promised - Balpa subsequently lobbied successfully to achieve significant improvements. pp 34 was tagged onto the vote.
The BMI and paypoint 34 vote was NOT to keep paypoint 24! It was to embrace new joiners, or have NONE.
BEX and others are clearly stating that we had a reasonable choice. WE DIDN'T! It was essentially "accept " this or nothing.
Certain BACC reps and others are doing wholesale damage to pilot relations and unity. The "New Guard" have achieved little, other than possibly reducing CR numbers.
Although my suspicion is that it was actually the "old guard" volunteers who negotiated successfully whilst the others were busy squabbling and plotting.