flybymerchant - a very passionate post but oh so true!!
I am angry I have being paying my subs and well I just don't know. I feel they have failed the community.
You DAREN'T say that on Bassa forum or Crewforum though, or (god forbid) in person to one of these militants. When people have done people have quite literally pounced on them;
''How dare you, you are being disrespectful to our hard working reps''
''our reps work hard and put their neck on the line to protect sc*** like you''
''BASSA MOD please investigate this member and ban them from the forum.''
''You should be thrown out of BASSA''.
etc etc
Excuse me
I should be thrown out of BASSA? Well I am paying MY money so it is my choice to remain in BASSA. It should be (some) of the reps that are thrown out for being a total disgrace and quite frankly leading us to the slaughter. I will say, I know there are probably some reps who are decent, and may even have (shock horror) more rational views. However the most senior ones who hold the power of BASSA have really messed this up.
Also think it is sad that Amicus/CC89 no longer have a voice. They have been swallowed up. Sounds to be they are more willing to look at ways rather than taking the ''No, I hate change I do'' mentality that BASSA has. Don't get me wrong I don't think anyone would want to completely tear up our contracts and rewrite them, but Amicus seem to be more rational (when they had a voice of their own!) When I joined I was led to believe BASSA was ''bigger and better'' and that we are oh so protected and they do wonders for the crew community that's why I joined.
Hats off they have held on to excellent t&c's for a long time. However we are now being led like lambs to the slaughter and the non-contractual changes to our crew complements have been brought about by BASSA not negotiating savvily, and bickering with Amicus reps (or so we are led to believe) What's worse, is will BA be forced to do 90 days notice to contractual changes??
Yes there are worries and concerns as we don't want our lifestyles, t&cs wiped away, however Unite should have savvily negotiated. I am not totally against a New Fleet - as long as an official agreement is made up to protect us and also to transfer work evenly/fairly. Not cherry pick the best routes. And also to only grow the fleet based on attrition/shortfalls so we (old fleet crew) are not on endless standby. And also ensure us current crew have promotion prospects. (Even if it is on New Fleet but make it attractive to us) BA were willing to discuss this grouping of routes but BASSA were not having any of it. Oh, except their lukewarm messy counter proposal, but after that it was no further concessions. Then bickering with Amicus reps. BA were forced to impose non-contractual changes. UNITE like a child not getting their way went nuts and balloted. Then the fiasco at Christmas which turned the public and media totally against us. Now we are here
I hope, hope, hope for everyone's sake BASSA/Unite pull their socks up, and there is no strike!