JF,
I've tried to be patient trying to explain to you that maybe things aren't exactly as you perceive. People did not vote CD out because of a few false rumours or emotional pleas on the Internet. They voted CD out because frankly they are less than impressed with the last 10years under his directorship.
Nearly 3000 people felt and voted this way Martin !
I have said many times before, that ultimately CD must bear some if not most of the burden for the way things have gone. Otherwise why the heck do we even bother re-appointing anyone into the vacated position. You are the one posting how lost we'll be lost why JF finds someone then you tell us CD is not responsible for anything thats happened, make up your mind. You seem to think it is out of ignorance of how BALPA works(with the CC's etc.) that people mistakenly voted out CD. WRONG, once again I am telling you that people just weren't happy and wanted NEW LEADERSHIP.
To be honest I think this will be one of my last posts on this thread because it's like talking to a brick wall. You ignore any posts despite being logical and well versed unless they agree with your viewpoint.
Most people do know that the post of GS is up for re-election every 5years, or they will now. The problem is most people don't remember the exact month or even year by the time it next comes around. Instead we rely on our union to inform us, maybe in letter form(from MG) to all members. BALPA failed miserably in this simple task, and the only logical conclusion in association with all the other letters from MG is that BALPA had every intention of keeping CD in power and that the NEC felt it knew best what was good for the members. They were wrong. Is this the democratic process you say you support ? It is only through the vociferous and yes anonymous minority(that you continue to criticise) that an election even took place.
As for criticising my mortgage loan plan to replace ones paycheck during a strike what do you suggest ? I am only trying to generate a PRO-ACTIVE approach so that with a little thought now we can avoid a mass exodus from the picket line because people weren't prepared. I clearly said it is not ideal but perhaps the best of a bad situation. It is better than your approach just to moan that militancy will die very quickly in a strike and people aren't getting paid. People need to be prepared financially before you ask them to go on strike.
As a very conservative workforce, pilots are not "INDUSTRIAL" either but having tried politely under our breaths to ask for a pay rise for the past 10years whilst continuing to get it up the backside, the time has come where we won't accept it any longer. We've seen the exec's come and go with their huge payouts and the share options granted even this month to the incumbants during this time of great difficulty. How long are we going to believe that the company hangs in the balance of our pay when our managers fly out to watch the World Cup in Japan with 50 other guests, etc, etc. the examples too numerous to type.
You say "the law in the UK makes it much less easy to fight on the industrial front than in the past."
WRONG
Mr Duncan Smith(during recent multiple rail strikes) says the government has wrongly watered down much of the laws controlling trade unions introduced during the Thatcher years. He told the reporters: "We felt that the balance was OK before Labour came in, in terms of requiring pre-strike ballots and allowing employers to dismiss employees who bent the rules."
Full article
For those who want to personally get to know the UK union laws and specifics, they can be found here;
Dept.trade and Industry
You see Martin how much easier it is to actually let people view the laws themselves rather than just say how ignorant of the "finer points of Industrial Action" we are ? You see how your post might be consider arrogant.
You see Martin it's very easy to distribute knowledge to people so that they can make up their own mind. You keep telling us how we don't know the uk laws, blah blah blah. Stop taking the "we know best attitude" and start spreading this information to all of us. It's like you enjoy the feeling of having superior knowledge. In the last few weeks, with nothing but an internet connection I would like to think that I have;
- contributed to JF's victory, or at least spread the news an election was even occuring.
- given people an idea how they can afford to stay on strike if necessary. and at least get them to start thinking about how they individually might do so.
- discussed the various strategies for pay negotiations including a detailed share option alternative.
- just given people access to the exact UK union laws above, that you seem to think we are too ignorant to handle.
Yes I am not elected by any members and I am not trying to take over the union, just posting enough information(with proof) and ideas(mortgage loans) to let people make up their own minds, they're not kids. Perhaps if I was a union rep then I would have been prohibited from doing so. I like to think someones benefitted however and its more than what I've received from BALPA(most likely reasons why) to prepare me.
I'm not doubting you are a good man, but you are taking a very defeatest view to Industrial Action which may be FORCED upon us very soon by a company that understands nothing else. BALPA members are tired of people with this attitude in positions that can affect our results. Why not help prepare the members for Indutrial Action with your knowledge rather than mumble to us how difficult it is, people don't really want to strike and will cave in early, economics are dictating things(but obviously not for our managers who received their share options Jun 19, 2002), we don't know how good CD was, etc, etc.
You talk as if all other posts but your own are illogical and just emotion based. I disagree. You need to take a serious look at how well you listen to other peoples inputs. This is not a personal slanging match between me, you or anyone else. Don't just critisice my efforts on preparing people for a strike if you have better ideas please let us all know, we're going to need all the help we can get. BALPA members don't want to hear about hard something is to do, if it was easy we wouldn't need a union in the first place. It's time to stick our heads above the parapet, it won't be easy but we're never going to benefit if we don't. Martin your posts epitomise the attitude of failure that has existed in BALPA over the last 10years. We want change, that is why CD lost.
Finally just so you can quit your suspicions that I may not be who I claim to be(I think you mentioned a disgruntled man north of Adrians Wall) and stop going on about its ok for anonymous posters , etc, etc, I am.......
Kevin Judkins
SFO 777.
Not that the name means anything to you or anyone else here probably. Now lets get on with the business of preparing for the coming "Negotiations".