Well it 's another day nearer to that day where we can all decide to come to work or go on the various picket lines that will form around LHR/LGW/MAN.
Virgin Dolly, you say a lot of what people are thinking. It will be daunting to come to work, but remember, any crew that you look at, work with, FSM's in the briefing and anyone that you come into contact with amongst the work place are there because they want to be and they don't want the damage to the company that this stirke will bring.
I predict that anyone working will have a nice day/flight and feel that they are sticking together, the same as people striking will feel the same.
They are also people that want more money and hope for an end to this strike/mess that we are in.
I for one as an FSM will make my briefing as normal, upbeat and fun as it always is. I also know that people will pull together and make this a good day.
I am a person (just in their 40's 016FSM) who respects anyone who makes a decision that they feel is correct. I won't damm someone that strikes, someone that stands on the picket line or someone that may want to call me a scab or through an egg at me (beware I've got muscles and will fight back lol).
What I am trying to say is that I am doing what I feel is the right thing to do on the 9/10th and 16/17th. For me that is going to work and supporting a company that I love working for.
I know that striking will only decrease any pay offer now and in the future that we may get and anyone on here who thinks that this '11th' hour deal is going to come need to think again.
Incentives to fly, cancelling flights on all the strike days, putting up notices on the VS website, re-booking paxs etc is not something a company does who are going to sort this out before the stirke date. This is something that a company does who are going to see this through (whatever the damage) and make drastic changes at the end of it, whenever that will be.
They need to get someone in from the outside who will dicate what will happen. An arbitrator will be the one to end this. How sad that they couldn't do this on their own, however it's not just the management to blame, it's our union. A union who has never asked me what I want, what % payrise I want and what I think is a good offer. Also a union who have never communicated to me over the past few weeks and have had no representation in the crew rooms at all.
I even heard that some of them were trying to swap their flights for days off on the affected days so they don't have to strike, how's that for support.
Whatever you deceide to do good luck to you. I won't ask you a harder question in my briefing for supporting a stirke. What I ask of crew wanting to stirke is you also don't hassle people who are coming to work. We are all trying to do what we think is right, whatever that may be.
People coming to work, don't worry. Picket lines not at the crew rooms and I'm sure there will be support in getting people to work.
People on the line, good luck to you. If that's what you think is right then you are doing the right thing. As we all are.
Take care
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