BALPA are no way close to perfect, and indeed are only as good as the CC that the members have elected (which depends on who volunteers, and their motivation. In the past in BMI for instance, BALPA rep = trainee mangement stooge, which somewhat negated any benefits ) However, apart from some appalling oversights (the Cadet situation springs to mind ) they seem, in Easy at least,to have helped mitigate against previous agreements being run over rough-shod, as per Ryanair.
For this alone, I would suggest you don't dismiss them out of hand.
Finally, they have only the strength of their members resolve (Ooer!
) as a weapon, which is where they failed miserably in FR, but at least provide a degree of moderating influence in Easy, where at least the threat of action CAN be utilised courtesy of the membership levels achieved.
They are not the be all and end all solution per se, but it is a shame that the "moderating" influence they can cast on "negotiations"
wasn't appreciated by a wider spectrum of Ryanair pilots.
In Ryanair you can see and reap the rewards of that oversight now, difficult to contradict that management have been allowed free reign by the apathy ineptitude & timidity of the masses, but regretably that is where it is at. Hope for their sakes the Easy pilots can see the longer term picture and try and take care of the future even whilst acknowledging the current depressed market. You shouldn't try and demonise BALPA so vehemently/ repeatedly, it is just as tedious as if I were to try and convince you they are the remedy for all industrial relation ills. . . . which I manifestly don't.