There is a great deal of rhetoric being bandied around, and a not insignificant amount of hubris. The sanctification of unnamed pilots who are " willing to protect his rights and entitlements" by ventilating their sacking / dismissal in front of a Judge doesn't reflect the reality of their situations:no job, probably no income, no reference and redundancies tumbling form even the legacy carriers. Isolated from their former colleagues and probably left to fund the fight through Courts themselves.
Solicitors and barristers taking £175 + VAT for an hour's work soon sees the legal bills build up: costs at Tribunal, in England and Wales, are not normally awarded hence the award will be reduced by the cost of bringing the action which could take 2 years+ to see out.
In the meantime, a small group of very enthusiastic individuals are clamouring for union recognition with little regard for the current economic climate. They singularly fail to recognise that a commercial decision taken by Ryanair management ( however distasteful they may find it) to close a base in the UK is not illegal in any way nor could any union prevent it.
Ryanair can simply reorganise their route structure using aircraft based in Europe to fly W patterns in and out of the former UK bases, maintaining the routes but without the perceived problem of union oversight.
As to voting for something without knowing the manifesto, that surely is nothing more than downright folly: the management at FR have made it clear what their response to recognition will be. It is not, in my opinion, unreasonable to ask what lines the manifesto the protagonists propose.
If I, and many others, are to lose our 5/4 roster, a substantial amount of money, live in the shadow of having our jobs shipped across the Channel and to pay BALPA 1% of our now reduced salaries for the privilege, is it not absolutely appropriate to ask how they propose to restore the status quo, or improve it and to ask how long this will take?
Ryanair pilots represent something of a cash cow for BALPA: 2200 wallets and growing by 400+ per year, that's a substantial income stream for New Road.
So, on the one hand the pilots are all subjected to a loss of income and loss of lifestyle, yet on the other BALPA sees it's income rise.
Finally, the legal protection offered by BALPA membership at 1% per annum can be acquired commercially for around £15 per month with, unlike BALPA, a guarantee that it will be there when you need it.
And BEagle, do calm down, flying a shiny new 737NG for a shedload of money on a 5/4 roster with wrap round leave days ( take 5 days leave, get 13 days off - oh and we get paid for being on leave) is hardly sweat shop labour.
Last edited by The Real Slim Shady; 22nd Jun 2009 at 20:58.
Reason: Addition of comment to BEagle