I am also on the post-1997 contract and have been here a couple of years. I also do not think we are overpaid. Reasonably paid yes and it is acceptable but it is hardly a fat cat salary!! However I do understand some contracts are higher than average airlines however those crew have been here for x amount of time and that's the salary they earn.
However BA are not getting at our salary. Sure they want a new allowance structure for future crew which from what I have seen will be more like LGW levels. For me though, with the rosters I get and am happy with, I can earn about the same as a LGW crew member (if they have had a good month) Also I agree we could work harder on some trips to get our hours up - some days we work very hard and I am absolutely kn****rd after a trip and need my 15hrs, however I will not deny many trips are easy aswell.
I have seen the BA and Unite new proposals. Don't really look much different from what they both proposed last summer. I think both proposals are actually OK, however no prizes for guessing which one saves the most and which one saves the least
I personally think a move to include a performance element etc COULD be a good thing - although some of the BASSA lot will not like it at all but oh well! Not too sure on just having one onboard management grade CSM - it would work on shorthaul of course but on longhaul unless they would have 2/3 CSMs on a jumbo then that would be good. Also having CSMs (new fleet SCCM) working in the air and on the ground is quite a good idea and many airlines already do this I think. Of course there are some areas of the BA proposals that are not very good particularly Approach 2 where us on EF/WW will be working alongside new crew but working to scheme.
Can I see Unite/BASSA meeting/agreeing to BAs proposals? Not really, however in my opinion there is so much room for them to come closer to meeting halfway or meeting BA as the BA proposal is not as bad as some make out it will be (although there does need to be more guarantees for protection on current crew) But it seems UNITE just want their cake and eat three of them (maybe 5!) Their proposal is OK like wouldn't mind having the PSR on a Band 4 767 etc... but putting 4 crew back on the 319 - apart from some flights ie. CDG etc is there any need??? Plus, their proposal is full of just empty words.
Doesn't go into much detail just says things like ''better relationships for us and BA'' - how??