Yet More Bassa - Final Death Throes Of A Dying Union
Is voting NO the easy option?
Tomorrow, your 2010 ballot papers will begin to arrive; we have been here before, but this time it’s different - and a little bit harder.
We are crew, the same as you, and we pick up the vibe that some of you may be considering voting NO this time around. We are realistic enough to know that this will be a difficult decision; some people may get cold feet and others are perhaps beginning to think that voting NO would be the easier option.
Maybe they feel that they want to save their YES vote for the next time; that’s okay, but just be aware that there won’t be a next time.
Frankly, we can understand why you are scared. The intimidation that you’re facing is unprecedented. It’s understandable that the pressure you have been subjected to begins to take effect. The negative press alone takes its toll on you - but be heartened, there is support for our cause, and the more hard-line and dogmatic BA acts, the more sympathetic the press and public becomes.
BA has a clear bullying and harassment policy, although clearly this protection does not extend to cabin crew who have been set up by the company as fair game for anybody with a view; our colleagues within BA, the general public, passengers, radio phone-ins, internet polls - you name it.
They are desperate to break you, no matter what the cost.
They have allegedly directly funded a third union to weaken you.
They have hired expert strike breaking consultants.
They have staked everything on a massive publicity stunt to recruit colleagues from around BA to try and break any strike.
They have threatened to take away your pay, your staff travel and down grade your hotels if you dare to go on a perfectly legal strike, not a new tactic, the same threats were used in 1997.
All this over for one crew member off an aircraft and imposition? We think not; this is for a far bigger prize - the destruction of a proud, confident, unionised crew. In December they tried and failed to win your hearts and minds, this time as we predicted, they are beginning to show their true colours, this time they just want to bully you.
Think how they will treat you in the future, if this “fear and threat” tactic works? This will be only the beginning. Thankfully we have now seen their true face and we still can do something about it.
If BA put as much effort and resources into finding a fair solution to this conflict, then we would not be in the situation that we now find ourselves.
If you do vote No, nobody will blame you, but one day you just might blame yourself. Do not be under the illusion that we will all live to fight another day, we won’t. Your days as a strong, unionised workforce will be numbered.
BA is desperate to shut your union down, silence your voice, remove your protections and tear up your agreements. If we lose they may just have won.
We will rebuild, reorganise and ‘fight the good fight’ as best as we can but they will have seen a weakness and will exploit it to the full. These people are not messing around, they are deadly serious. Our agreements are now ignored on a daily, if not hourly basis; if we protest we are ignored. Your reps - the ones that are not suspended - can no longer properly represent you. Have no doubt, this is an absolutely determined attempt to shut your union down - and if you let them, they will do it.
Do you honestly think that if we lose this ballot, that from that day onwards, BA will respect you and/or your union again?
“But they can’t do that” is often posted on our forums. Really? Who’s going to stop them?
You can vote NO of course, it’s your choice, but it certainly isn’t the easy or cheap option, and in the future your vote will have cost you more dearly than you could ever imagine. For in the future, we will all truly reap what we now sow; your working life, standard of living and lifestyle as you currently know it would be over.
It’s up to you....