Max_cont.
I think, if I may be so bold, that you may have misunderstood the thrust of my point here...Certainly I do not think unions are evil, wrong or indeed have no part to play. I am
absolutely agnostic on the subject....done well, a union has an exceedingly important part to play in successful running of a business and can offer perspectives the management either can't see by virtue of job role, or perhaps just missed through human nature.
I have absolutely no axe to grind with any union - except that as powerful a force for good as a GOOD union can be, a bad union can be utterly destructive.
The only reason that I mentioned any of the negative aspects was in response to the suggestion I'm some form of management stooge. I am not, never was and never will be - save that sometimes someone has to present "the other side of the argument" - decision (opinion) without perspective and knowledge is tremendously dangerous - for example, would you divert to another airfield without reading the plates, getting the ATIS first and ensuring it has sufficient LDA? God, I hope not! Knowledge of what your 'opponents' - if I can use that word without implication there is necessarily a different set of objectives between workers and managers- see as the problems are key to resolution.
My point on unions - or perhaps better phrased as my perspective - is that I understand the good they
CAN bring, but I don't see a huge amount of evidence as to what good they
DO bring. In this instance we're talking of BALPA - so I will continue to use that example.
When I talk about spiralling costs - I refer solely to basic training - up to CPL/ME/IR....these are the costs that are rapidly approaching £100k and in my view BALPA
SHOULD be acting for the good of the airline industry - as a whole - in trying to stop this ever increasing cost base. In my view, BALPA
SHOULD be lobbying the CAA really bloody hard to make it virtually impossible for airlines to sell line training hours, with no job at the end. In my view BALPA
SHOULD be seeking to make it impossible for someone to buy a speculative type rating - you should only be able to buy a TR if you can prove a use for it afterwards....i.e. you own an aircraft of that type, or have a legal document giving you the right to fly one.
But these are the things that BALPA DOESN'T do...things which, IMO the industry is desperately crying out for. Perhaps it's the nature of the point that "BALPA is you, the pilots" which means that those that don't fall into a grouping of significant numbers, like the newly graduated, those about to start, those unemployed but experienced aren't getting the representation they so dearly need - but in my opinion above everything else, it's the undercutting of the base of the pyramid that leads to the erosion at the top of it.
My original point was that if BALPA shouted more about the success at Thomson, similar successes elsewhere, if they stood up for those without a voice (me - and those in my position for whatever reason - and yes, I am already a member) then it would be easier to persuade those in the situation of the RYR pilots to join up...
hope that clears up any misunderstanding
