Penko, I think the answer to that question has got many facets.
First of all , you need a union with a sufficient member base and sufficient backing to carry a strike vote....
Look at RYR: divide and conquer, play every base out against eachother. Thats why MOL objects so violently against REPA, a concerted effort to have everyone on mutual ground.
It's the LAST thing he wants.
EZY: Has got the union representation and the membership base to pack a punch. Hence it's T&C's are what they are. However the company is trying to dilute union involvement as much as RYR tries to do. Setting up different bases/different contracts and make them isolated from eachother. >>divide and conquer.
Wiz: Not familiar with the situation.
Second of all, even if you have the percentages, what issues do you 'ballot' to strike over and which do you not. I think it's clear in the past that some issues should have been taken on the head however it's important to remember that if you poll for a strike and the support crumbles for whatever reason effectively the union is dead in the water and can be sued for damages aswell. More importantly the company will claw back far more than what you were originally striking over.
Ultimately it's very very difficult balancing risk/gain and membership sentiments (REAL membership sentiments)
Prime example is the final salary pension and the contribution pension that BA has now.
It's not a shimmer of it's previous self. However I've flown with no-one that has sais they were in favour of the new pension deal. Interesting when there was a majority vote for it to save the old....
Even if a strike was decreed would there have been the support of the membership to push it all the way.
Only with a proper information campaign is it possible to get guys thinking along the same line. And this is effectively where the current BA company council is SOOO different compared to the old.
So yes, from my perspective and I would guess BALPA's aswell if there is a clear vote/backing/and sensible issues to strike over then I think you will find a lot of support around the globe for your actions. The key is information.
@Wiz, I would hope we tend to be fairly introspective and rumours about what we 'should/could' have done in the past have been rearing up on our private forums aswell with considerable differences in opinion.
I think it's important to remember the union/councils dilemma in aligning all the differences of opinion. I'm saying that the job of aligning is done the best I've seen it over OpenSkies.
Part of that is, there is so much at stake, short and long term.