Trade unionism is a dying breed in the UK.
I would have to disagree. The way I see it is that trade union power has been curbed to an acceptable level when compared to the ruinous abuse of power by Scargill, McGahey, Scanlon and other assorted left wing militants in the late 60s and early 70s.
Trade union members can take a stand in a dispute but have to comply with the legislation giving ALL members the opportunity to vote (and in private), give the employer statutory notice of any union action and in carrying out that action an employee does run certain risks as does the union as well should the union not comply properly with the law.
It does serve to emphasise how serious the issue is that BALPA are prepared to lead its BA members into a dispute that 99% of us believe is justified but would all rather was not being forced upon us by a management who must think we are all complete idiots.
411A appears to hate unions, BALPA and especially BA pilots as he never misses an opportunity to make provocative and antagonistic posts on a thread whenever one or preferably all three are involved.