Sidebustle, governments in the UK have recently tended to be returned with 42%-ish of the popular vote.
That however is rather different to a union getting a 60% 'Yes' return on a 70% turnout, ie the same 42% mandate. If that is what BASSA get, then I would be very surprised if they pushed the nuclear self-destruct button, as that is surely what it would be with such poor support. No, I fully expect BASSA to either:
(1) call off the ballot this week (if they feel they will not get the required support (15% probability), or
(2) get the result in the region of 60-80% in favour (by those who bother to vote) and claim it is not enough to strike with and call for talks (50% probability), or
(3) get an 80-90% vote in favour (as above) and call a strike, which BA will then successfully get a court injuction preventing (25% probability), or
(4) as (3) above and BA let BASSA strike and the strike collapses within 24 hours (10% probability).
In all of the above scenarios, BASSA end up claiming a moral victory and whinge about the courts and big business being against the working classes, and claiming that the cabin crew are all heroes. In the meantime, the cabin crew come back to work with their tails between their legs, BA regain control of the operation and New Fleet appears in Summer 2010. BA request to negotiate EF work matrices and LH disruption agreements and BASSA aren't able to resist the required changes.
Just my thoughts.