The dispute in Australia in 1989, was a strike by 'Ansett' and 'Australian' pilots. It was brought to an unsatisfactory conclusion by the airlines' management successfully gaining backing from the Hawke government to sequester the Pension Funds as compensation for lost finances during the dispute, which started with nominated Airport boycotts. The pilots were forced to resign to protect their pension amounts and having resigned, the airlines stated that the dispute was ended and were then free to charter aircraft and crews to enable schedules to be flown. Qantas pilots belonged to a different union and were not part of the dispute, nor did they resign 'en-mass'. A very unhappy situation that still reverberates around the (pilots) world today.
Am I the only one that thinks BA's timing to start a 'niche' airline while the world is sliding from a downturn to a recession, is typical of the poor planning that the airline has suffered from for decades? Perhaps the dispute will yet be in BA's favour in delaying another waste of money. It's time for W.W. to rein in expenditure and concentrate on the core business -for the airline's survival, if not his own!