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Old 10th Dec 2007, 08:17
  #173 (permalink)  
Digitalis
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
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I think Tin Tin's scenario is highly unlikely. Virgin might like to think of itself as hard-nosed in business, but it also likes to think of itself as a good and trustworthy employer. Right now, you might not feel the same way - but how much of your impression is fed by the actions of the Company, and how much by Galley FM? By all rational and demonstrable measures, Virgin is a fair employer with a good history of looking after its employees. Not perfect or flawless, but good. It won't be willing to lose that reputation for the sake of ridding itself of a few activists.

The straw-polls that others have posted here are backed up by my own research; around 50% or less back the idea of a strike (though far fewer have any idea what exactly a strike is intended to achieve). A small percentage of these genuinely want to bring the Company down and really don't care who they take with them. A larger percentage want to 'punish' the Company for some inept management over the last year or two, yet are happy to take the deal if it's still on the table after any strike. A large number of the potential strikers simply think 'it's the right thing to do', but are unable to explain their position any further.

A very significant number of those I spoke to say they would vote for a strike, but would work any good trips they had rostered during any strike action, and thought that that would be fine because they would have done their bit by voting for a strike! The overall impression I get is that, apart from a few hardliners - including those who want to sink the Company, any strike would be very poorly supported. The ramifications of that for the Union are very serious indeed; membership would significantly decline, and the Union's ability to influence future CC terms and conditions would be severely damaged. That would be a disaster for all employees in Virgin Atlantic.

Once again, I urge you to think very carefully about what you are about to do.

PS. On the subject of strike-breaking, teh company is able to mobilise a surprisingly large number of experienced ex-CC from other departments. Together with the non-union CC, and those who decided they simply couldn't afford to strike, it's likely that the Company could run the majority of its programme, albeit with reduced - but legal - crew numbers. Extra payments to work during the strike would probably not be necessary, but I believe they would be a legitimate tactic if the Company chose to use it - however, that's for the lawyers to argue over.
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