I've read the whole thread and feel enlightened on the reasons for the required change and how BA may plan to 'fairly' implement said change.
I agree that BASSA has failed the electorate criminally and that the company has no choice but to impose a more realistic working structure on what we all know has for many years been a relatively 'cushy number' compared to similar jobs and indeed the same job in other airlines.
....I do, however, think you're pulling the wool over your eyes if you think that any more than 3 or 4% of the BA cabin crew have read this post or any other posts like it....the Crew Forum tells a very different story, as do the majority of the cabin crew who (understandably) are having to slake their thirst for knowledge on the topic by drinking putrid toilet water.
Many still seem to think this whole situation was caused by 'price fixing' and fuel hedging errors, and I would say most feel that BA have singled them out to take advantage of a dip in profits to dip into their pockets and steal pay and T's & C's. They've been told not to trust the management and that the only truth they need to know will be disseminated by their dictatorial, bullying, self-satisfying, top-end orientated union. The enlightened ones who recognise the severity of the situation and how deeply BASSA has let them down cannot speak out for fear of castigation....it seems that those who pay the union for a service are denied basic freedoms we fight for in many corners of the world....and a service.
Is there no way that those Cabin Crew members who are reading this, that have read the WHOLE thread, can find some way of passing on the VITAL information contained within it to the rest of the crew?
Knowledge is Power and it seems that the majority of the hard-working crew are being brainwashed with PROVEN tripe from the union - I'm not saying all will agree, of course not, but one of the main functions of a union is to gather information from ALL sources and present it the members, providing them with an opportunity to MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS and ultimately VOTE DEMOCRATICALLY on their future, and as in this case, also on the future of British Airways.
Why did BASSA refuse to look at BA's financial accounts?
Why did they refuse to negociate when their members' futures hung in the balance, then ignorantly copy & paste a small part of the Pilot's cost saving agreement and offer that their members take a PAY CUT? An offer that their members neither wanted, or more importantly, did NOT VOTE on?!
Why did they claim to have offered £140m in cuts but keep it secret from the members that Price, Waterhouse Coopers, one of the most respected INDEPENDENT auditors in the World, valued their offer at only 54m?!?!?
Why do they control the flow of information to their members so tightly that many continue to believe that the company paid for a retirement ball for the 78 VR pilots and other such lies? Why not quash those rumours on the CF in the interests of HONESTY ,INTEGRITY and FREEDOM OF INFORMATION.
WHY DID BASSA 'POSTPONE' UNION REP ELECTIONS WITHOUT ASING THE MEMBERS?!?!?!
Why do most members suspect/know that the fat-cats who run BASSA, (who are on a better contract, have a better pension, do less work for more money to better destinations) only have their own selfish interests at heart and not that of the greater and wider majority?
Crew should be asking these questions OUT IN THE OPEN, WITHOUT FEAR OF REPERCUSSIONS, BULLYING, HARRASSMENT, you know....all the things the 'union' is meant to be there to protect you against.
No-one wants to see the hard working core of the BA Cabin Crew take home less money, that wouldn't be right and I believe it is totally avoidable....all the company needs is for the operation to become more efficient, which can easily save the £140m....I feel sure it's achievable with relatively little pain and that successful negociation could take NEW FLEET off the table.
One option might be to come into work for the same (or possibly fewer) hours that you do already, but work more productively. Accept that one sector days are unrealistic and uncompetitive....if you're going to iron a shirt, drive to work and be away from home for 12 hours but only be 'productive' for 3 hours, why not agree to do 6, spend less time hanging around the CRC, go home earlier and come into work for FEWER days each month? It's just an example, but I truly believe that there's a mutually agreeable solution out there that you can have your say on with the correct representation. It looks as if BASSA have missed the boat and squandered any discussion rights with the company. BA have played the long slow game, dotting the i's, crossing the t's, so that they are in a position to impose changes, start up new fleet and, if BASSA move to strike, take the Union down too.
I feel for the cabin crew, I really do, because it would appear that they have been led blindly down a dark alley by a union that they pay good money to and in which they put all their faith in. In my experience the vast majority of crew are hard-working (up to industrial limits), very good at their job and great ambassadors for BA; it's just such a shame that the diligent masses appear to be being led the slaughter by a negligent few.