Why is it the unions fault if a large amount of it's members wait until 2 days before the close of ballott to enquire about their own ballott form? People cannot say they were not aware of the situation and when my ballott didn't arrive when i started hearing that others had, i called a union rep and got the number for our head office. A ballott form was on my doorstep the next morning. Whats so hard about that. This ballott was run for 3 weeks, 1 week longer than traditional ballotts ofthis nature to cater for our industry. So peolpe cannot say they were away on a HongKong Sidney flight and didn't have time. If they were that bothered they would have done everything to ensure they got a ballott.
Pilots
You guys were not happy at lagging way behind the industry leaders when you went for your last pay deal, so you threatened the company by utilising your entitlement to a ballott. You are now better payed than most other pilots in the industry and still have good lifestyle benefits. At the time, the company pleaded poverty but low and behold. At the last minute the money was found to give you a deal that a majority of your members were happy with. The detrimental effect to the company was furthest from your mind as your members focused on what they felt would put you among the best paid pilots in the industry.
I ask the question again. Why shouldn't the cabin crew do the same.
Why should we take your advise and listen to the company's pained bleeting about affordability when only a few years ago you didn't. It all smacks of self interest as you realise that if we do get the company to find the money or face action, you might not be in a position to push for as much as you hope you might achieve.
You have a small work force in comparison to the cabin crew. You also have a more mature work force who when it comes to situations like this take a greater interset and actually become involved(as a general majority). It is easier therefor for your union to assume that you understand these situations and they can assume that if you don't you will contact them.
Our members number far greater than yours and are generaly a lot younger and less interested in the day to day running of the company than your members and so don't see the benefit that our union has given our comunity.
So imagine how many crew are sitting at home now wondering where the ballott form is and why it hasn't been delivered yet, but who wont think that maybe they should have picked up the phone to enquire about the ballott before now. Also think about the amount of crew who are sitting at home with a ballott but are deciding not to bother sending it back because they are not sure how to vote, rather than going and attempting to gain the info required to make an informed decision. If people can't be
to even bother then who's fault is that. Its not rocket science.
So don't sit there banding about insults about our union and it's reps when you have no idea. I have utilised some of the reps in the past and i'm aware of the effort they put in throughout the year. Too many people are jumping on the band wagon and taking the easy excuse. Its not the unions fault, any union is only as strong as it's members.