I totally agree, Flyburg.
It is amazing to see the number of people who think of this as a VNV versus BALPA fight
The VNV cannot just rollover and let their belly be tickled by KLM. It is give and take, by negotiation, but always looking for an advantage for the VNV members wherever possible. Nothing wrong with that. It is what the VNV member pilots pay their subs for, and it is what the members want.
Funnily enough, it is also what the UK pilots want from BALPA, and it is what BALPA now have to deliver. Losing sight of the real 'enemy' does not help to acheive the required end result.
Perhaps one of the "the VNV is the obstacle" brigade could explain what kind of deal they would be prepared to accept if they were on the VNV negotiating team...........