There is a lot of emotion flying around at the moment and that is reflected on this forum, but if you read the posts I think the general impression you get reflects the way things are out there: most people are reasonable, intelligent and pragmatic. But there is a vocal minority who are either too intellectually-challenged to understand what is going on, or they are too appalled at the potential consequences for their unsustainable salaries to contemplate the change which is coming.
Sadly, it's the squealers who get heard.
I have just done a sequence of trips with delightful people. They were all a pleasure to work with - friendly, attentive and fun, but also very focussed on delivering great customer service. They know what differentiates BA from some of the competition and they were determined to enhance our reputation. We didn't always socialise, but when we did there was no talk of industrial matters, it was just a bunch of colleagues having a chat and a laugh.
As we drank, chatted and smiled, at the back of my mind was the thought that these are decent, normal people with mortgages, families and all the usual commitments, who must be desperately worried about the future. Had they had a more competent union they would not be such hostages to fortune: they would have the reasonable expectation that their representatives would be shrewdly negotiating the best deal available. Sadly, as things stand at the moment, all their hopes are pinned on the tactical industrial skills of a bunch of self-centred, naive amateurs.
I REALLY feel for them
