Statement from Jim McAuslan, General Secretary BALPA:
Statement from Jim McAuslan, General Secretary BALPA:
Last summer, and following a thorough review of the company’s finances, BALPA members recognised that major changes needed to be made to the company’s cost base. Other staff groups, including engineers, shared that view.
As a result pilots voted to contribute £26 million of annual savings to help the company survive and thrive and in return will have some equity in the company.
BALPA and the vast majority of its members have a very different analysis of the situation in BA to representatives of the cabin crew union. We recognise the frustration that must have prompted so many cabin crew members to vote for strike action last year, but BALPA members were stunned by the threat of a 12 day strike at Christmas.
BALPA is not in dispute with BA and if and when a strike is called by the cabin crew union we will issue guidance to our members to ensure they comply with the law and operate normally to fulfil their full range of duties.
We understand a number of pilots have responded to BA’s call for volunteers to keep the airline operating through any strike and from their postings it is clear that this is out of concern for their own futures and that of other employees. For the avoidance of doubt, BALPA’s position on this is neutral and we will not dictate to our members. Nevertheless the suggestion that BALPA has “tacitly set up a facility on its website forum, for its own members to actively volunteer to work as cabin crew to break our strike” is entirely false and I have written to Unite explaining this.
We will continue to highlight to both our own members, and to the leadership of other unions that, once any strike is settled, it will be important for good and safe operations for fellow employees whether they operate on the flight-deck or in the cabin, to work together.
BALPA still hopes that both sides can reach a negotiated settlement and if
there is any role we can play to help with this then we only need to be asked.