MD11Man
Yes sorry about the abbreviations, it is proof that you have fully joined when you can reel them off, and I'm moaning too so I must be a fully integrated Nigel.
At the moment the only thing new joiners can do about the pension is join BALPA and pressure them into pressuring BA. BA are pretty immune to pressure at the moment because people like me keep joining. Alternatively we could break off from BALPA and form a new pressure group or join the Transport and General Workers Union. BA listen to the TGWU and would much prefer all pilots to belong to BALPA.
What has changed with the new CEO is that management are now much more militant than the workers. There are huge costs that need reducing but those that are going to pay aren't the ones that can be accused of causing them.
Because we DEPs mostly come from LoCo backgrounds we expect less but have actually given more, ie. free type rating, low pension overhead, wage reduction. A 30 year baggage handler can cost the company £35M, still get a full final salary pension and provide zero flexibility. A 30 year retired Captain's pension drawn from today will exceed my total career earnings for about a third of my remaining career.
Joining BA is like winning the gold medal but finding it's not solid gold but gold plated. Looks the same but not worth the same.