Darkstar how do you mean the allowence system is to be 'investigated and adjusted'? The allowence system CANNOT be changed as it forms part of our contractual agreement with BA. The only way our allowence system can be changed is by changing our contracts which requires BASSA and indirectly our agreement.
I'm sure after the huge failure of the 'Elapsed Hourly Rate' that management tried to bring in late last year, they will try again with a few extra 'sweetners'. I'm certainly not anti towards changing the allowence system as in many ways the current system is unfair. The only thing is, any new system will have to ensure that crews don't see a dip in their monthly take home pay. Remember, the whole objective from BA's position on the Elapsed Hourly Rate was to save money by reduced tax and NI payments BA has to make, not by cutting our pay per se. Yeah right!! :-) Perhaps if management were a bit more communicative with the crew and honest they would have more success.
HZ123 any talk of a strike are really speculative as there isn't even so much of a rumour of one at the moment. We all know that we have to tighten our belts, but are hoping for constructive ways that will benefit both the crews and BA. Saying that, unlike many other airlines,
BA's LHR operation is 100% permanent and mainline . And around 85-90% of these crew are in the BASSA union. Many airlines have crew on temporary/non mainline crews at their various bases, so if the mainline crews do pursue industrial action there are non-unionised/mainline crews to maintain some sort of operation. At LHR this is not the case. Any industrial action by BASSA would see BA's ops at LHR at a near standstill.
It was only a few months ago that we seen the first threat over industrial action in ages. BA refused to budge on our pay rise, insisting that any pay rise would be linked to the new attendance management process. After numerous meetings (A YEARS WORTH!!) BA stood their ground and said they would not budge on the issue. BASSA said enough is enough, and gained permission to hold a ballot on industrial action for all mainline crew. The very next day BA came back to the table and said they would give the pay rise (backdated) without linking it to the Attendance Management Process. Although many of us do have under 10 years of service, we are perhaps MORE likely to defend our conditions than someone who is retiring in five years.
Also HZ we are NOT 'paid in excess of all our competitors'. Compared to bmi, Virgin or the other UK airlines maybe yes, we are (which is the main reason many of us have come from those airlines to BA). Compare our salaries and conditions to our collegues at Air France, Iberia or Swiss. We do indeed hold the title of 'most expensive crew in europe' but much of these figures are diluted by the huge pension problem BA has. Funny enough, Iberia's management also tell their crews they are the most expensive in europe, so would be interesting to know where the truth lays!