Martin with stated views like that you're days as a BA BALPA rep are surely numbered, regardless of the good work you do at the Technical committees. Its attitudes like that which got Chris Darke trounced in the election. I'll say this once and I'll say it clearly - YOU ARE GROSSLY OUT OF STEP WITH YOUR BA MEMBERS ASPIRATIONS. We've tried the 'lets work together'/guiding principles approach, and the majority of the membership recognise that it has been more hinderance than help. We want a new approach to dealing with the company, and we expect our reps to recognise and act upon that desire instead of faintly patronising us with statements that they know best and we should stop meddling. Don't liken us to Leyland, they were inefficient, unproductive, expensive, delivered a gash product and walked out on strike at the drop of a hat. Thats why they went bust. We are a very different group.
To return to the 'Golden Goose' analogy, you're quite right to suggest its better to have a daily egg than to choke its neck and get two today and none for a week. However it seems to have escaped your attention that the BA goose has stubbornly refused to lay an egg for us for several years, and moreover when our backs have been turned its been nicking the eggs we've got and been sucking them right back up its own a rse!