An outside view.
First, the disclaimers to ward off the conflagration. Not crew, not pilot, indeed not even in the business of aeroplanes at all. Nevertheless I am SLF from time to time, not always on holiday and I have always been fascinated by aircraft and flying, hence my membership of this forum. My personal opinion of generic ‘British Management’ – not necessarily BA – is, for the most part, that they couldn’t organise a p*ss up in a brewery. I hold no brief for management whatever.
That said, I began reading this thread before the ’12 days of Christmas’ proposal hit the fan and I have read every post since then. I have to say my continued interest is very much the same as; “the natural covering of a wound” that I cannot stop picking. It truly is like watching a slow motion train crash.
I am fascinated by the ebb and flow of emotion, the virtually spontaneous creation of the PCCC, the slowly changing views of those who support BASSA – because they have over the weeks – and the blind, unreasoning determination of BASSA and the union to take their Lemmings – pointlessly - over the cliff. Although I have no direct access to any opinion of BASSA, Crew or Unite staff except what is posted here, it seems to me that if half of what is said about them and by them is true, then many Cabin Crew and possibly even the whole shooting match – the airline – are doomed.
On the other hand, a good many of what I take to be pilots on here, are less than sympathetic and even quite rude. An attitude that really doesn’t help to foster or restore good crew relationships. Of course I understand that a great many people are, quite rightly, concerned about their jobs and feel outraged that others, rather less concerned if at all, are charging at the gallop towards the guns. There is a pilot in my family. At the same time, it has been quite extraordinary to see how many people –from all points of the BA compass at a guess – volunteered that they would a) break any strike and often b) volunteer to help wherever possible at anything that would help. All this before BA management declared their hand and asked staff to do that.
Lastly, it is quite instructive to read and hear how the news media are reporting the dispute, compared to how I am seeing it on this forum. Often concerns are expressed over what the media might be taking from PPRuNe, but it seems to me they are taking no notice whatsoever of the human drama. I genuinely hope that a strike can be avoided and that BASSA – at the last moment – see sense and climb off the highest of high horses, to allow genuine negotiations. For what its worth, I offer all BA employees, in every department, my sincerest best wishes in the next few weeks, which threaten to be very, very difficult indeed.
Roger.