Ironically, away from the vitriolic mumbo jumbo postings that some erstwhile members of our supposedly 'professional' workforce choose to post, I too enjoy my daily work at BA.
Most of us have the ability to treat BA as a job just like any other. I don't feel any better than anyone else flying the skies but I do feel I have achieved a good balance in working lifestyle and my terms and conditions. Hence the reason for my coming to BA. Most line pilots will try and protect their terms and conditions as is natural in a cut throat industry where the bottom line is king and we are all under immense pressure from the spiraling price of oil.
I personally, and also the view of the vast majority of my colleagues, have no axe to grind with anyone who wishes to join OS. As has been stated before in these threads, in the occasional moment of clarity, there are many people who will be willing to accept these T&C's as there are not many alternatives at the moment. As a pilot workforce we should never be bitter towards anyone who wants to fly to support themselves and their families. It is snyd, pointless and degrading. The word 'Scab' is vulgar and wholly inappropriate.
I don't agree with attacking the workforce that an underhanded trick by scurrilous management have recruited. What I do object to is that the entire BA pilot workforce get tarred with this 'I'm holier than thou' brush when people choose to discuss these matters. The management, coupled with the accountants have bred this all. Certainly the take over of other airlines has caused pain and grief, that is never in doubt. The handling of these take overs was forced through by the BA management in yet another underhand manner. Possibly, at the time, more could have been done to accommodate the merger/acquisition in a people friendly manner but this is not, never has been nor ever will be the 'BA Managers Way'.
We live in a world where our industry is under constant attack from environmentalists, politics, terrorist, oil price etc. We need to achieve some stability in our terms and conditions before they too start to plummet down as yet another excel spreadsheet cost cutting measure. Only by standing up to the management, not bitching constantly between ourselves, can this be achieved across the entire profession not only BA.
I will watch and wait, should be a few interesting months.
