Dave,
Thanks for posting here and adding some balance to the debate. I've been keeping an eye on this ever since page 1 of the original thread, but have stayed on the sidelines for most of the time.
How much support from ordinary members has there been for this case, or has the union begun to realise it may have shot itself in the foot
I am an 'ordinary member' and I support the case, as do most of my intake. The Flight Ops department within BA need a PTWK policy. It needs a policy for those blips in your life where you need flexibility, for instance after returning from a long illness, caring for an sick relative, or having children. At the moment there is no such policy, and as we on the airbus are working flat out there is not likely to be any access to PTWK soon.
I personally do not want PTWK but I would like to know that if I needed it in a some time to come, then I would have access to it.
For those who want statistics, full time on the Airbus at LHR at the mo is approximately 750 hours, so 50% would be approx 375 hours per year (31hrs/month average). In those hours you are likely to do 20 sectors, so 10 landings per month. For that anyone would get paid 50%, would accrue leave at 50%, and would get 50% of the pension contributions.
It has been mentioned elsewhere that the cost of having someone at 50% are approximately 1%. So 2 people at 50% cost 102% of the cost of a full time pilot.
So Jess will cost 1% more than I do when she returns to line flying, but she will be more rested, more relaxed, and happier to be at work than 283 Airbus P2's at the moment.
Thanks BALPA - Jess needed you to fight POD and his crude attempts at crushing her. And thanks Dave for taking the time to post here.