Rhino, you may not like what JW has to say, but sadly (for us) he is absolutley correct. The prioritisation rules of our (and most if not all) DB schemes is fixed, the pensioners take priority over the members. In fact, Carnage needs a reality check, or possibly a wee chat with an actuary or Pensions Consultant - he would then discover there is a HUGE difference in the reality of winding a scheme up as opposed to closing it. I wish it were not so.
Jetstreamrider makes some good points too, but the trouble is that once one has increased personal contribution rates, or decreased benefits, then I have never heard of these things being subsequently re-instated. It's a bit like that crunt Brown and his 5 billion per annum tax raid on UK pensions schemes generally - you don't hear the Tories talking about reversing it do you????? Neither do you ever hear about Companies replacing benefits hacked as a result of cost cutting when times get better. Management agreeing to profit reductions and hence bonuses is about as common as Turkeys voting for Xmas!
The big problem with our Company, as demonstrated by the posts on here, is that when it comes to the crunch, you see NOTHING. There was all the hot air about strikes if the Pension Scheme was closed to new members. Then, when it was closed to new members, it was cunningly done at a time of zero recruitment. BALPA said they would be looking at as and when it actually affected the first pilot to join and be outwith the scheme. FuNny old thing, when that eventually came to pass, BALPA then were committed to helping organise the 'best DC scheme in the UK' and, er, what actually happened???
Nope, too disparate a workforce, too many fragmented interests - there will NOT be a strike, and Willie knows it, because it is not a clear cut, across all ranks issue. Captains, less than say 5 years to go, generally would not be too badly hurt. The next 5 year phase would be significantly affected, but not as much as if they struck. Below them - well, let's see what the proposal is etc etc and before you know it, we've been screwed again. Don't get me wrong, a united front would sort BA out, and yes, I think they probably COULD scrape by and fund it - but they won't, because they know their opposition is divided and will not go to the barricades in spite of all the hot air on here. Hence my call to at least secure what we have already earned, because management won't stop at stage one, they will be after cut after cut after cut - profits are up at the moment, but with hugely expanding EZY, Euro / American open skies, a/c replacement etc etc, there are still very large savings to be made by a nice new Irish broom........