Kitkat,
Members controlling the leadership? How is it that 90%+ of Bassa members I speak to say that the leadership is a loose cannon that doesn't listen to its members and doesn't want to listen. hey say that they can't do anything about it - they'll just be ignored. Wish I had a pound for every time I've heard sentiment along those lines.
There seems to have been no organised survey of the Bassa membership's views - when was the last union-wide attempt to gain members' views?
Comms are very much in the form of the party line, no taking into account dissenting minority opinion or suggestion, or assessment of their argument's strengths and weaknesses. In fact, all very similar to the 'democratic processes' in place in Saddam's time in Iraq.
(There are some very funny parodies on the Balpa forum of Bassa's statements as they would have been made by Comical Ali. Worth a look
)
Bassa seem unresponsive to any view that runs contrary to the leadership's line, and if they think a show of hands at a public mass meeting after rousing speeches in favour of one outcome is an example of a union membership guiding the actions of its leadership, then they have an odd view of democracy in the 21st century.
BTW, the recent anti-Balpa rant is sending yet more pilots to the volunteers list as we speak.
Great strategy Ms Malone, you're just accelerating your demise.