Interesting stuff M.Mouse - Unfortunately I could not attend last night - did BALPA reps put across convincing argument for the 'undecided'? Was the general feeling that most members are, albeit reluctantly, in favour of industrial action?
The arguments were almost self explanatory. The three guest speakers (representing AA, QANTAS and IALPA) were unanimous in urging us not to allow ourselves to be undermined in the future they way the AA and QANTAS pilots had sleep walked themselves into a bleak future.
Judging from the letters from pilot associations from around the world, on display for all to read, this is a worldwide drive by airline management in generaland we are being watched with interest by those other associations.
I attend most GMMs when they are held and was amazed and gratified at the overwhelming support that the BACC have on this issue.
Isn't it about time this went on the BA dedicated forum? I can't help feeling that neither BA nor BALPA are quite as desperately essential to everyone else's life/job/pay/conditions as some posters on this thread seem to believe...
No, it is a worldwide issue.
... (I haven't read all of the 25 pages or so because it's too boring).
Then go one further and stop reading it at all.
Whilst I can fully understand that the BA fraternity will wish to protect themselves from the cold winds of commercial reality, for the many who are not a part of that august establishment does a new airline not offer a new opportunity? For them is it not A Good Thing? I don't know what the pay and conditions are as I'm not interested but if they are not good enough they won't get the people and if they do then they won't stay. If that is what happens then the management will have the choice of improving them or shutting up shop presumably.
Plainly you have not only not read this thread but also not observed American Eagle, Jetstar and WW's attempts to stuff the Aer Lingus pilots. It is not about OpenLies pay and conditions.
The commercial reality of the new operation may well be that it cannot be competetive(sic) in the market....
It can.
...and support the lavish lifestyle and restrictive practices that are enjoyed by BA mainline.
Lavish lifestyle! I am lost for words. Restrictive practices? You clearly know nothing about today's BA!
And just to anticipate some of the possible objections to me venturing to suggest that the sun does not actually shine out of the collective BA orifice; yes I am a pilot, yes I do know BA pilots past and present, yes I have been around a long time and worked for a number of different outfits in various sectors of the industry, and no I don't really care one way or another whether BA's new baby lives or dies on the breast.
Far better to keep your unpleasant bile to yourself then.
Oh, yes, and I did used to be a member of BALPA but soon realised that unless I was in BA it was nothing more than an exorbitant subscription to a magazine that had no relevance to life outside BA (although it was two separate airlines back then).
Again you clearly have little comprehension of how the world has changed. There are just over 3,000 BA pilots. BALPA membership is around the 10,000 mark off the top of my head. That represents.....well you can work it out.
We do happen to contribute the largest share of BALPA's subscription income by virtue of our salaries. I am happy to do so because it is in all our interests that BALPA is well funded in order to represent us all as well as is humanly possible. That includes the freeloaders like yourself.