Rainboe,
I accept that BALPA have obviously worked for you, however ask a number of people that they have been totally indifferent to. Following 911 I like a number of colleagues found myself in a very difficult situation, my employer was taking the proverbial out of a number of its crews. We were a BALPA airline, recognised by the company, yet they were ineffectual as a group and on an individual basis they regularly ignored any requests for contact.
I had a particular problem in that I had an agreement in writing, yet when I decided to exercise that agreement the company refused. I contacted BALPA for help & advice & received a phone call in response 5 weeks later, by that time it was too late.
I am not alone in this situation as a number of friends & colleagues received the same lack of interest & response.
I gave myself a pay rise, joined the IPA/IPF for information reagrding aviation but then spent another £11.00 per month on the T&G, now there's strentgh in numbers.. 2 million members & rising & guaranteed representation, can BALPA give that guarantee?