The tiger is lean and mean and the only rifle being cocked will be the City's with the cross hairs unerringly pointed at the senior management's temple.
All correct - except where the loaded gun is pointed - it is LaLa Malone and her cronies that are in the cross-hairs - and rightly so.
OK, I concede that the ballot result was a triumph for BASSA, no question, but then again what do you expect when you feed the membership with a load of bull over the weeks and months leading up to it, and most members think that all it will take is a Yes vote to oust WW?
Where we are now though, is not the end, maybe not even the beginning of the end, more like just the end of the beginning (to borrow a quote).
From here, the game will ratchet up very rapidly with CC being innundated with possible consequences and ramifications from the company, causing fear and uncertainty and the feeling of isolation. The possibility of losing your job and income will be explained, and doubtless the company will be calling your phone to ask you about your intentions. They will offer help if you are doubting but point out all the worst eventualities if you decide to not report/go sick. I don't believe that BASSA have put in place any real support structures other than an offer to call a rep!
In parallel, BA will be exploiting all legal avenues to have the strike ballot declared invalid - that will be down to the courts.
Given a strike date called for 22nd, the no-shows will start from about 19th, imho, for those on 5 day trips on longhaul. A departure on 19th would return to LHR on 23rd, and hence be reliant on a departure the previous day (the first day of a strike). This would expose those people to a risk of being stranded downroute for an additional fortnight, and hence potentially miss a Xmas with their family at home. The knock-on affect of this is for crews on HSB/QRS to be called to cover these gaps in crewing from this weekend onwards which may then screw their festive plans.
One thing for sure, Doctors notes are going to be in demand, and the stress levels will ramp up dramatically in the next 3-4 days.