SR71 thanks for a balanced reply.
It's obvious that many outsiders will not know how the industry works and apply basic principles that can't be brought over from other industries.
Fair enough to do so but a reality check is needed.
We asked explicitly during a conference with WW, that if we match the OS business plan on cost , point for point, would he allow OS pilots to be on the BA Mainline Seniority list: answer NO.
Convienently this question was cut out of the DVD recording that was sent to all BA pilots!!
Also, in discussion with BA it has been said that they might 'entertain' the thought of putting them on MSL IF we gave up a couple of the top paypoints in BA. Now to me, BA is playing just as much hardball as we are. We know it's an issue about cost/flexibility. Even with that given to BA before discussion they would not entertain it.
You can draw conclusions yourself!
Question is: where to go from here?
there is the rub, it is obvious that the OS guys want the expansion for themselves and I can't blame them. I just hope that enough common sense exist to learn from past mistakes. Mistakes that I know little about aside from reading the VARY varied postings mainly on this forum.
It does not serve the pilot community to go at loggerheads with eachother again...
Indeed if (and its a big if at the moment) we can preserve anything of our present job as we know it, it is going to be through unity between unions in different countries and less of an screw the rest attitude.
Short sightedness is helping no-one.
Call it Utopian I think but we owe it to ourselves to do something about the things we see happening right in front of our eyes.
We're alright Jack for another couple of years, but what lies behind that??!!