I have been told that the major issue here is a lingering failure to resolve the 04/05 pay deal....ostensibly because the IR work to their own bureaucratic time scale.
It seems inconceivable to me that the IR can allow an un-level playing field to exist with respect to certain allowances and the tax-benefits allied to them. This is anti-competitive.
Conversely, it seems likely that if such a situation was contested, the company would stand a good chance of winning a case which argued for parity, with, for example, another LOCO airlines recompense paradigm.
Let us assume this to be the case.
I have been told that the cost of underwriting the difference between the old bmibaby allowances scheme and, for example, the Easyjet allowances scheme is ~£500K.
I have also been told that the cost of a one day strike is upwards of £2 million.
It seems to me, then, the way forward is clear.
Every other group in the company has had closure on their 04/05 pay deal except bmibaby pilots. They continue to lose money every day as a result.
The claim that this is about an unwillingness to accept 2.4% for 06/07 is management propaganda.
I trust those of you involved achieve your ambitions.