Orangetree
No-one is giving up - that would be pointless. Yes, pensions were high on the list of targets for improvement but just because it didn't work this time doesn't mean permanent defeat. There are more battles to fight and mnay more occasions for those battles.
You are quite wrong in your assumption that the FREA improvement was soley down to one man in the charter sector. It was a Balpa (General Secretary in fact) fought and won case, as the individual would indeed tell you.
Bloggs2
I genuinely agree with much of your sentiment but must take issue with one thing. The previous 'offer' proposed what many of the amateur analysts on the Balpa BB calculated as circa 2% increase to pensions contributions based on the increase basic salary. The 'pay rise' in addition was billed as 3.5%.
The current offer suggests 2% extra to pension (although not compulsory) with an extra 4% pay increase.
I know it's small, but it does seem better to me.
Anyway, the votes will soon be counted and the majority wins.