Hello Flybymerchant,
An excellent post, and my sentiments exactly.
I agree with you that our Unions could have negotiated a better deal for us and we would not be in the predicament we are in now. Not looking at BA's accounts, not wanting to look at slides, internal rivalry between Aimcus and BASSA has been a massive waste of time.
On a personal level, I was willing to give up a lot more than Bill Francis is now going to implement. A mentioned in a previous post by Ottergirl, we were at one point expected to finish at 2200 on our last day, work an extra day a month which has all been retracted by BF to the relief of many of my colleagues which I understand. All acceptable to me but understandably not to others.
I agree that the 1 sector days that we do are far from productive, it's nuts really. Why would a Company pay Crew to be in a 5 star hotel in Vienna all day? I often question the rationale behind doing them, though I have to admit I enjoy them!
You must have realised that as CSDs on Eurofleet we have been starved of work since January so I've not had that luxury in recent times. Whilst my basic is higher naturally, being on the old contract my allowances have been as little as £500 a month for someone on a full time contract!
The threat of New Fleet is real and getting worse as as everyone is chanting 'Strike! Strike!'
Willie Walsh is getting his wish of New Fleet quicker than he expects by CC going on strike.
If I was a TU rep, I would approach BA and urge them to negotiate, but I can't see that happening. What BA should do is perhaps trial the new crewing levels and ask crew and passengers for feedback on the service.
I am worried and as mentioned previously, the redeployment arrangements are frightening. But the representation that we have is not going to change and neither are their attitudes. On my part, I will do my best to speak to our reps but being in a minority, it's going to have little or no effect. There are many of us of the opinion that we've wasted our money on poor and lack of good representation.
A new Union would be a great idea but I wouldn't know where to start and how to form one!
Besides, I've always been an on board person giving and influencing great service on the aircraft , not an office type really.
Ps, Flybymerchant, are you a FO on the Airbus and a BALPA rep?
I think we flew together in the Summer.