BALPA subscriptions are 0.5% of salary for the first year. For a Captain on £62k a year that is £310 per annum.
But 67% of BALPA subscriptions are tax deductible, so 67% of annual subscription, £207.70 gets added to your tax code; i.e. the amount you are allowed to earn before taxation starts.
That leaves an annual subscription of £102.30, or £8.53 a month.
BALPA is only as strong as the company council whose interests it represents. All BALPA supply is free advice, legal and otherwise, and a Principal Negotiator. A Principal Negotiator is a person assigned to the company. Their job is to offer guidance to the company council and undertake negotiations on their behalf.
IPF and TGWU are non-starters. They don’t have the experience or track record, ay least in Airlines in the TGWU’s case. BALPA are not perfect, but are the only realistic option.