Dear Alex,
You are definitely not a 'lowly' SLF. You guys pay our salaries, and we remember that, even if it sometimes seems that our management is determined to abandon you all or make you use another carrier.
Your particular flight should be OK, as the repercussions of this vote will take a while to settle through, and (I imagine) for our CC to formulate proper plans. However, a quick read of this thread should let you know just how totally p#ssed off with our management we are. Not 'some' of the pilots, but the vast majority of Flight Crew, Cabin and Flight Deck, along with most of the Engineering Staff and Ground Staff, not to mention the Admin People. If you doubt me - just ask anyone working for us!!!
I would watch it carefully to see how it develops - and if you want to help, write to David Evans, our Managing Director (a contradiction in terms!!!) and tell him how your worries about the dispute may force you fly with someone else. If you want to REALLY help, send his reply (or news about the lack of one) to the papers, and enquire as to his Industrial Relations policy and record with "People in Business".
If you aspire to professional aviation, our Company has some of the most professional and best pilots in the business, and some of the most narrow minded, pin brained, incompetent non-entities in the world of management. Lions led by Donkeys might be considered to be an appropriate phrase, but I suspect it would have most of the world donkey population filing a lawsuit for Racism!!!
Best of luck with your trip to Madrid, a lovely city. I hope it isn't too important that you get there on time, as most of our Manchester departures these days run very late indeed - a function of not replacing the handling staff on the ground. Bear that in mind when you book your appointments at the far end.
Good Luck,
Max.