Jet2.com BALPA Recognition VOTE

[DjerbaDevil]

JET2 have recently added one B737 and one B757 to their fleet bringing the total number of frames to 33. Assuming an average of 10 pilots for each aircraft gives a total of approximately 330 pilots at JET2. If all 330 pilots become members of BALPA paying dues at say 50 pounds per month average that gives a total monthly membership fee to BALPA of 16,500 pounds every month, which is a yearly membership fee paid to BALPA of 198,000 pounds. Who's going to be laughing all the way to the bank then??

Exactly what will the JET2 pilots, possible future members of BALPA, get for that enormous sum of money of 198,000 pounds paid up every year for ever and ever..... Certainly they will NOT get their money's worth or anywhere near it. Most of that money, if not all, will be wasted in administration, glossy brochures and reports that no one reads, and paying union officials high salaries and their cars, their assistants, their secretaries, their offices and expenses, and all of that, a very long way away from Leeds/Bradford airport and the JET2 management. Most, if not all the 198,000 pounds in fact will be spent in West Drayton next to the prestigious Heathrow Airport no less.

If BALPA are so wonderful, they would do well to export their negotiating expertise to the Sandpit, where it's needed most. I am sure they would be made very welcome by the management and owners of QATAR, EMIRATES and ETIHAD.

With all certainty, we can be assured, it would not happen now, but when there were strikes in the "bad old days", it was the Union officials and their buddies who didn't need to send their wives out to work in order to provide for their families. No that that wouldn't happen now if there was a strike. Of course not. It would be the Union officials who would be the first to stop taking their salaries and would stop their NI contributions and send their own wives to work to bring in enough for feeding their families and paying the mortgage. Oh yes, and it would be the Union officials who would contribute to a fund from their own personal savings for the hard up strikers to be able to feed their families.... I am sure.... They ARE NOW all honourable gentlemen...

JET2's present recruitment drive and the offer of 70% salary (all year NI contributions too) for 58% part time work is a good offer. If they had work all year round, they would offer full time employment. If there was a shortage of pilots and an excess of fare paying passengers, all airlines would be making their T&C's more attractive for pilots. The truth is that the present situation is the reverse and most airlines in Europe are experiencing serious financial problems. What active actions is BALPA taking to help the management of UK airlines to get over these problematic times? Yeah, don't worry folks it's only a rhetorical question, I don't expect an answer from any BALPA official, sitting in his plush warm office watching the cash hitting the bank to guarantee HIM a life time job with a massive pension second only to a banker.

If management don't listen to a reasonable request, then your feet are the best negotiators, maybe not convenient today, but there's always a tomorrow. There are far better things to do with your 50 quid or better said 600 pounds of yearly subscription to any union, suggestions have already been made before in this forum. A reasonably intelligent pilot and confident of his own abilities, does not need anyone to stand between him and his employer to defend/negotiate his employment contract.

I quote from Ian Saunders, BALPA Chairman's letter of introduction to the BALPA report for 2009: "if you would like to see what life is like outside BALPA, just look at the case studies of Ryanair, Jet 2 and DHL"

In contrast to the above statement, overall things at JET2 are good without BALPA and the company doing much better than most with the management doing a good job protecting employment within the company by keeping it profitable and expanding and creating job opportunities. Suggestion: If Ian Saunders can sort out Easyjet, his own employer, whom he avoids mentioning in his letter, then he might be welcome to invite others to join BALPA. What did he do for the 137 Thomson pilots recently made redundant, who had previously accepted a reduction in salary in a last ditch effort to save their jobs? Were there any redundancies at BALPA head office to compensate for the loss of membership fees? Not likely, and probably an increase in staffing to pursue membership at other locations. Jobs for the boys are sacred.

"No, no, no, all lies!!!! Victimisation!!" They cry. BALPA is magnanimous and their Chairman and officials are honourable men and want the best for YOU and are not avariciously waiting to get the yearly membership fees of 198,000 pounds from JET2 pilots to help maintain their staff and plush offices at West Drayton just down the road from Heathrow Airport (nothing less) and would happily give all this up for a portacabin (unheated if need be) at Leeds-Bradford Airport to take up the representation of JET2 pilots for free, as they have been so badly treated by JET2 management or might be in the near future... or might not but, but, but YOU never know...

Must rush now to fill in my BALPA membership application form and give my bankers' details for the monthly sub of 1% of my salary to become a member. Don't wait holding your breath, BALPA union officials, I may take a while to arrive..... Ah yes, and thanks for NOT helping my steelworker Dad to support his family, when you called him out to strike. Of course he was only a member and not one of the priviledged elite within the Union!

Give us a break al446, you are all waffle and no substance and certainly not worth my 600 quid every year. I can do much better without you and the likes of you.