Boondocker:
BA is talking about reaching a formalised and finalised agreement by 31/01/10. With the court case starting on 1st Feb is BA intimating concerns about the outcome? Should Unite win the case they could, conceivably, offer to keep the current levels of crew and propose to forego the working one down payment for all crew providing BA are prepared to explore further assurances for current crew and also negotiate on how New Fleet is introduced.
It's very important people realise what will happen in the unlikely event that the courts find in favour of BASSA's position.
BA are unable to accept that the numbers of people working on board any particular a/c type is contractual. Nor should they!
In this event BA will consider that all cabin crew contracts are not fit for purpose, and will immediately move to terminate ALL CC contracts, with 90 days notice.
BA ARE LEGALLY ENTITLED TO DO THIS!
What will most likely follow is that new contracts will be issued, and crew will be given a once only offer to accept the new T & Cs, or leave. If they choose to leave, BA may decide to offer minimum statutory redundancy, which is nowhere near as much as people have recently been offered to 'encourage' them to leave!
BASSA have really got the whole idea of going to court, very badly wrong!