they seem to have discontented staff almost right across the board. Worse they seem to have selfish staff right across the board who have no consideration or concern for their customers
Do you think the decisions to strike has been taken lightly? Our check-in staff have been backed into a corner by their management over the last 4-5 years. Can you imagine what pressure you have to put a section of the workforce that by its demographic (mostly middle aged and female)is not militant to come to a decision like this?
us humans are lucky enough to have 2 feet. If the job is so crap, and the pay so awful, why not go somewhere else
That's exactly what people are doing. The turnover in the terminals is so high because people join the airline not realising that when they finally get to do the job they are so short of staff as to be run ragged. As far as the pay goes; would you rather interact with people who are good at their jobs and have 2 braincells to rub together? If you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Why not pay people a decent wage that they can support themselves on so that you retain staff who are enjoy and are good at their jobs.
just because the boss gets paid a bit more is no reason to expect you will too
No one expects to be paid as much as our leadership team, all we wish for is to be treated fairly. We were told that if we tightened our belts during the hard times we would be rewarded when the pressure let off a bit. When the airline makes £150m profit in a quarter, staff who have taken a net pay cut over the past 5 years expect something in return. Arguments that US staff are taking pay cuts are simply not valid in this context. Our productivity is much higher than our US counterparts. I have compared my works patterns with other US crew and have found that I work on average 40-45% more than they do and am still paid less.
had my baggage "lost" for 9 days and when returned to me, it had been broken into and was all soaking wet. I made over 80 unanswered phone calls to BA in the UK and SA trying to find out what was happening trying to locate my bag.
Perhaps a visit to the airport to see exactly what happens when there is a period of such intense disruption as there was during the summer storms would be in order. Your bag was probably opened during screening before it was dispatched to you. So much luggage mis-connected because, as you will know, so many flights were cancelled (you may have noticed it rained a little which would have explained the wetness of your bag) . You made it to your next flight because you have 2 legs to walk when you're rebooked. You suitcase does not. When things go so wrong there simply isn't the manpower to re-screen (which is what takes the most time) and redistribute your bag onto a suitable service. Neither is there room to keep the misconnected luggage inside due to the design of airport terminals.
If any other industry goes on strike people have a little grumble and a carp and then get on with it. The tube, the benefits office, the post-office et al... Whenever an airline goes on strike it's open season, why is it that employees of other companies can expect to be able to exercise their right (and it is a right that EVERYONE has) to strike whereas airline employees cannot?
Oh, and on a final note...
If any of you stupid airlines screw up my travel arrangements you WILL hear about it & be made to feel the brunt, believe you me
How about growing up a little? Tantrums are rarely attractive, especially in people who should have the maturity and self control to know better.