I log on to this site occasionally and and always leave it feeling disappointed that I did.
The same old names keep on popping up: CarnageMatey and Sporran, in particular, to add their little gems of wisdom. It saddens me that there should be such divide between our cabin crew and our flight crew. I have noticed on a lot of the other threads, Flight crew from other airlines (Australia and the US) seem to be more supportive of their cabin crew colleagues and the theme that they are doing "a great job" seems a common one. I thought that perhaps this breakdown in CRM has become pervasive, but I have noticed to my relief that without exception, all the flight crew I have flown with since the start of these current IR issues, have had little in common with the thoughts of CarnageMatey or Sporran. I am glad the days of "us" and "them" is firmly behind us.
And as for the
: I just don't get it. That should be our response to your opinions. You have asked the SAME old questions over and over again. And we have responded over and over again, only to be faced with the same list of questions. Do you feel that if you state your views enough times, that will cause them to miraculously become true?
I am proud that we have, in my opinion, some of the world's finest flight crew and I am equally proud that we are some of the world's finest cabin crew. So I just don't understand the beef some seem to have over other's incomes and working conditions.
It is simply not true that crew didn't even know to what they were saying "Yes". Weeks ago, some may have mistakenly believed that the hourly rate was part of the ballot, but all the various forms of communication from the union set them straight.
I am a reasonable, rational person. I have an Honours degree from a recognised university and have turned my back on an office-based career to do something I love and I know I am good at. If you flew with me, you'd know I was a credit to the company from both a crew and a passenger perspective. But if someone as level-headed (IMHO) as I am unhappy with my management, then there is something wrong. Some of these 12 issues have been on the table now for almost 10 years. A 96.1% "Yes" vote paints a rather dire picture and points to a very disaffected workforce.
I believe BALPA is a good union and, as a result, I get the impression that our pilots are, on the whole, happy with their wages and with their working conditions. So I would argue that it is perhaps difficult for them to try and walk a mile (or 7) in our shoes.
I have friends who work for Delta and Virgin as Flight attendants/cabin crew, and I would agree that we have fairly decent working conditions and pay (there are SOME things I would like to change in my favour, but hey-ho...), and I would like to hold on to them. I don't want us to become easyjet/Ryanair/Delta or even Virgin. We are one of the world's best airlines and we should maintain that image. None of us wants a strike. It is just so sad that the first time the management have actually listened to our grievances is in the face of industrial action. Let's hope that the current talk are fruitful and that we can put this all behind us.
Happy flying everyone!