Originally Posted by
Eddy
Hello Fred. I spend quite a bit of time with the reps and there's a lot more being discussed at the moment than just the twelve points that are being outlined. Things like, as I previously mentioned, hourly rate.
Thanks for the reply Eddy. However, I don't believe you answered my origininal question which was:-
Please can you tell me which one of the 12 items you have voted to strike over (and I have looked at all of them) involves you taking a 40% pay cut and having to sell your house?
Or perhaps you have. I believe the answer is none. So why are you potentially striking? This is exactly the point I was trying to make. BASSA have got everybody worked up and telling of destruction of the union but they have balloted on the wrong things. None of the BA proposals/issues will cost you a dime in the immediate future and promotion prospects will only come from an expanding and vibrant BA, not one brought to its knees by strike action. You originally said you were striking because you were going to take a 40% pay cut and lose your house. You have admitted, based on the balloted items, that none of this will happen.
If you truly were going to lose 40% of your pay, hell, I would be on the picket line with you.
You talk about hourly rate allowances and reduced report times.
Neither of these were on the strike ballot!. You have nothing to fear from hourly rate allowances. It is still the same amount of money, paid in a fairer & simpler way. We have been on it for a few years now and I personally think it is a much better system - we get the same rate everywhere we go. Compared to meal allowances, some you win, some you lose but at least we all get the same.
You also admit that BA should reduce the report times when we move to T5 as the aircraft will be closer - after all, they were increased when we moved to Compass with a 20min bus ride involved. What's sauce for the goose etc...
You mention the cap on increments for new contract CC.
This is a current agreement with BASSA/CC89. So you want to break an existing agreement? If it were BA trying to do this, there would be uproar. But it's BASSA wanting to tear up the agreement so that's OK then.
To summarise, you appear to be wanting to strike against things that might happen in the future, not what is proposed now. If so, think again. There is no basis for a strike now - there might be in the future but not now.
Finally, I am still mystified where you get your 40% figure from. Even the things you mention (not part of this ballot) would have little effect on your pay. I am waiting to be enlightened.
I reiterate I am not having a pop at you, just trying to get you to see that BASSA are leading you straight into the cannons.
ATB & good luck
p.s. you CAN be sacked for going on strike within the first 12 weeks but it will automatically be deemed to be
UNFAIR. Note it is
unfair, not
illegal. Redress is through employment tribunal as stated by others.
Full info at the DTIs website here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/employme...ns/DG_10031235
The relevant points are:-
If you take industrial action, be aware that:
your employer may stop paying you as you'll be in breach of contract
you could lose your job
you could lose any company benefits
if you're dismissed you may not have the right to claim unfair dismissal
The last point doesn't apply if the correct procedure for industrial action has been followed and you're dismissed less than 12 weeks after action began.
So why are BASSA telling you that you can't be dismissed? More spin?