Passengers: I am truly very sorry that it’s come to this, but frankly I don’t believe we offer the kind of product worthy of your custom anymore. Any of us who were at work yesterday will tell you what a sham of an operation it has become. Beset with beancounters and fawning incompetent managers, the front line is starved of the people to make it run properly.
For years now the system has relied on overtime to patch up the chronically under resourced coal face. Even to the extent of engineers doing baggage handling to make up the wage packet at the end of the month – BA has robbed Peter to pay Paul.
Now the pursuit of the boards magic 10% figure has meant no overtime for the T5 move. Result? No people at the coal face.
Pilots: I’m sorry too. The fact is that no-one likes BA pilots, I don’t know why. It’s a bit like being a stormtrooper for Darth Vader’s Empire. The reality is that we are very hard working, dedicated and professional bunch.
We do not deserve this. I imagine that the British merchant mariners didn’t see the problem when the first British vessels started flying the flags of foreign nations. They do now. You might scoff at Nigel’s hubris, but if we go down who’s next. Maybe your job too? Will you have sepia tone photos of those old airliners with a British registration, you know, the last ones that flew with British pilots?
It’s my strike today. What will you do tomorrow?
Management: Oh. Don’t worry. I can’t begin to describe the contempt in which I hold you. You’re about to find out who your friends are.
Edited to add the point I wanted to make in the first place
Let's be clear about the point of this dispute.
This is not about money. This not about how hard we work.
This is about our employer; bringing in a cheap contractor; to do the work that we already do.
That will not stand.
I'll take on the opposition tomorrow. Today it's my management's turn