I would echo what WinstonSmith says, that crew are being seriously mislead:
Myths about Voting Yes
- “A YES vote means that BA will start talking.”
It won’t. BA has made it very clear that they intend to let the strike proceed. The training courses for volunteers have started today, 25 January.
- “BA always threaten to take away staff travel permanently”
They don’t. They didn’t in 2007, and they didn’t before Christmas. In 1997, they didn’t threaten to take it away permanently, only for the duration of the strike.
- “BA shouldn’t have imposed”.
BA always said that if talks weren’t concluded by the end of June, they would impose. They tried to negotiate for 9 months. BASSA chose not to listen, but instead walked out of meetings. As the company was losing money at a colossal rate, BA had no option but to impose.
- “I will vote yes and then make my mind up what to do.”
That is unfair on everybody. This attitude is putting our company and our jobs at risk, when some people clearly do not understand the risks. If you don’t feel that you can carry out a strike, then you must vote no.
- “I will vote yes and then go sick”.
BA has covered this in their recent letter.
“I am voting to protect my T&Cs”
Our T&Cs have not yet been touched; we have simply had one crew member taken off a plane. Our pay has not been affected; it has stayed the same. Our days off have not been affected, they have stayed the same. Our nights down route have not been affected, they have stayed the same. However, BA has made it clear, that for every strike day, they will deduct money from our budget. Striking will not protect your T&Cs. Striking will severely damage T&Cs for cabin crew.
If you vote yes, then please understand that you will have to strike. You are putting our company, our jobs, and once again, our cabin crew reputation at risk.
Strikes do not save jobs, and this one serves no purpose whatsoever. We are all working the new crew complements, and we have suffered no real hardship.
Think very carefully. This is very serious. All our futures depend on it.
I am BA cabin crew and the above represents my own view and not that of BA.
Last edited by HiFlyer14; 25th Jan 2010 at 17:56.