Simple enough, really.
BALPA looked for automatic recognition based on 50%+ of the plot body in membership (116 out of 205) or suchlike. MOL then changed the goal posts and declared the non type rated trainees to be "UK based pilots" thus lifting the target population to 250. Unfortunately, the CAC fell for this line. As 116/250 is less than 50%, automatic recognition was not granted. We got a secret ballot instead.
Sadly, sadly, sadly, the simple act of ticking a ballot paper in the privacy and anonymity of one's own home and returning same via the postal system proved too courageous for most. Well done to the brave 18%. Whilst intimidation and bullying were rife, it does not take away from the simple fact that the solution was in pilots own hands.
And we made a bo!!ocks of it!
Too depressed to write any more.