Richard's Reply
016FSM that looks very much like a stock reply.
It didn't do VS any good to have its washing hung out in public but the situation was exacerbated by the division amongst the staff about the union. The boys at BA must have loved it!
It is the interest of all the cabin crew to act as a cohesive unit and to negoiate collectively directly with management. That way a "divide & conquer" strategy from management would not work! The union, with no disrepect to them, are paid employees and are remote to your thoughts, feelings opinions and problems. Cabin crew should deal, as the flight decks do, as a cohesive unit which has the backing of ALL cabin crew.
The "dispute" should never have got to where it did. The union reps failed to negotiate properly as did the company, hence the threatened stirikes.
As I said earlier in the week, VS relies on its cabin service to promote its airline - if VS customers have the perception that the staff are treated like S**t, then they will think they will be treated like s**t as well.
Richard should forget all these grandiose "save the earth" schemes - if people were really concerned about this, they would never fly and there would be no need for Virgin Atlantic! Look after the staff and let the staff contentedly look after the customers! People will think much more highly of Virgin, if you have the balls to do so!