Originally Posted by pilothouse
If less than 50% join BALPA then it's a non-starter.
If less than 50% join anything it's a non-starter.
dragging a reluctant BALPA official up to our Northern bases regularly may be difficult
What? Sorry mate, what on earth are you talking about? There are plenty of 'northern based' airlines that have BALPA recognition, I've worked for two of them out of Manchester. I cannot see any basis for that comment. If they represent you they will provide the representation. Remember though, it is the CC made up of your elected pilots who do the majority of the groundwork.
The union man is there only to help us with generic union procedures and to bring in the heavies when we need some muscle
You what? Heavies? What on earth are you expecting your union to do for you? This is not the Miner's dispute, you won't be getting Flying Pickets from Virgin, BA, Easy, et al to help you get a better settlement! There is a general misconception about BALPA that you seem to have transfered to the T & G with regards to airlines. There are no 'heavies', you pay for the background 'office', the admin, the legal advice, the skilled negotiators and office staff. There is no 'big tiger' to wield when you get into a dispute, just your elected pilot representatives negotiating with the assistance of trained negotiators from your union (actually, usually only 1 trained negotiator). That's it. Your strength is in your support and the mandate you give your negotiating team.
BALPA had 51% membership and management colluded at starving the other 49% of information.
Well you summed it up quite well, 51% is not much of a mandate. You can't expect the union to keep you informed if you are not a member!! You should have taken it up with the company if they weren't keeping you informed of contractual changes and the like, even if they were negotiated by the Recognised Union.
I feel whichever union is "in power", it has an obligation to communicate, or at least encourage the company to do so.
Again, just how do you propose the union communicates with non-members? They have no access to their personal details. Did you approach them and ask them to keep you informed and offer your personal details? As far as I am concerned I would expect that BALPA would ALWAYS encourage any company to communicate with their staff. You can take a horse to water.......! Your issue is really with the former employer which, if anyone had an obligation to pass on communications affecting your 'package', it was them. I guess you didn't refuse any negotiated increases in terms and conditions that were negotiated but not communicated to you though!
You have actually just given a good reason to have increased the 51% by your support to stop the management from 'colluding' (with whom I am not sure) against you as an individual!
PP