Hi Litebulbs
I think we probably met in the past.
What i would like to hear from the cabin crew and Bassa is they have tried many many times to negotiate and BA have refused, they have offered compromise and other solutions but BA has refused, until i hear that i am finding it hard to sympathise.
So EG300 - well its the same for the rest of us, i don't like it but what the hell if the cabin crew feel they are a special case because of colds etc then surely that applies to the pilot community as well and i don't hear them moaning ( which they like to do ), i feel the cabin crew issues are probably their local management, if i am at stage 2 or what ever of a sickie and i have been ill then let um try and intimidate me, i just show them the ramp with the snow and rain, talk them thought a typical 12 hour nightshift and at the end they are surprised its only stage 2.
As for the other issues i hope you can sort them out, one or two i agree needs resolving especially the bus driver one, i would imagine WW could sort that easily ( if your reading this Willy ) by paying up all the drivers that are going atT5 and getting a 1 year contract with someone else - its not rocket science Willy.
I support any group that's being shafted but your issues really should be easily solved, as for CSDs and maintaining them i recommend you concentrate on looking after the majority rather than the minority, as an engineer with sorry to admit some years of experience than i care to admit i know the CSD is a dead duck, face it and move on you will not win that one.
As for Captains ( blimey here we go ) many times i have had problems with CSDs and pursers over technical issue and had to push them aside to the Captain, sadly i have friends who really couldn't run a boys club that are BA captains, that aside i have to respect the fact they are the responsible person for the flight and if something goes wrong its their neck, similarly if something goes technically wrong its mine ( so if i sign its as ok its ok right! ).
The Pension issue i can go with you on as there seems very few safeguards, i am suprised the Nigels have gone for it and after 10 years BA might be laughing about it at our cost, however the deal thats offered is still better for you than i and our lot will probably accept it.
So come on guys and Girls push for a fix to this rather than hope for a fight, i am not a shareholder and i probably could find another job but i enjoy working with yourselves and the pilots, i cant say we as Engineers wouldn't go into industrial action over an issue but i know we would be clear about what had changed rather than just being unhappy with how life is, if your smart you have things to negotiate with ( that will cost you little to give up but save BA a packet ) and many of them have been mentioned in these very posts here ( working one down etc etc ) - make something positive from it and i hope you all do.