BA - Common Issues

[keeperboy]

I do agree, we are paid very well in terms of the industry we are in. However, it isn't ALL about money for all of us. I would trade in a proportion of my take home pay for less flying and greater flexibility IN A FLASH.

I have a friend whom flies for KLM longhaul. He earns about 30% less than I do. However, he bids for every one of his trips and works so little that he has a second job. In fact, he sees going to work like going on holiday. Similar for another friend who flies for AF. They are able to be flexible with their days off, for example, by taking only a day or two off a short trip and have a bunch of greater days off together later in the month.

The reality of life at LHR WW: we can request two days off in the country a month. We can request two trips per year. All of these are REQUESTS and so are often not granted. Promotion (as current with a CSD and FOUR Pursers on a jumbo) takes around 10 years. Same for First Class training. Part-time: Whats that????

Now A LOT of this is down to our own doing. Because of the complexity of our ancient scheduling 'agreements' we have where as a certain number of days are fixed per trip etc etc etc.

Change for us at LHR WW would not necessarily be a bad thing in many respects. I cannot justify the need for a CSD and 4 Pursers on a jumbo. I totally understand the reasons WHY the union doesn't want the position removed (freeze on promotion, redundancy etc) but we still know that it is a tough one to justify.

Ditto the hourly rate. A 3 day Cairo for us based on the current 'meal allowence' system is worth about £60. A 3 day BOM or DEL isn't worth much more. Many crew are saying that it is time that the hourly rate be looked at again, as it is only a repacement for meal allowances and not box payments, overtime etc.

As for the scheduling agreements. Well, personally I would rather get rid of many of the agreements we do have and see them replaced with more flexible agreements, ones that can work both to MY advantage AND to BA's.

The sticking point though, seems to be the 'bully boy tactics. I don't just apply this to BA management (who definitely are bullys) but also to many of the BASSA reps (whom display total ignorance and arrogance at times). I AM a member of BASSA because it is absolutely necessary in BA.

I just wish that it could be a bit of give and take:

BA Manager: "we want to change X, Y and Z and we are prepared to give you this in return...."

But it never happens like that. It is just like "we want to take x, y and z and then we've got that we will come back for a, b and c......".

Now I know BASSA probably aren't the best at 'negotiating' either. I just wish they could find some common ground and a deal that would benefit the ENTIRE crew community as well as BA.