UNITE/BASSA (which ironically is an anagram of Abuse Stain!) claim they are going to appeal, which could incur further costs, but to be reasonable, let's take the six million figure and divide it into, what, 10,000 to round it up?
They've probably already wasted (should BA rightly ask for costs) 600 pounds of each of their members money. That's more than three years of subs down the drain. Think what good BASSA could have done with that money. They could have had a relief fund for bereaved or sick members and their families. They could have set up an emergency fund to help out members with unforeseen downroute problems.
But no, they're too busy lining their own pockets and defending their own ludicrous, self-serving rewards.
So how do we interpret their words thus:
Our legal team are confident about our appeal - and are already busy drafting the main grounds. In addition, having been granted leave to appeal on two specific legal points - Mr Hendy QC is seeking to expand our appeal to a third significant legal point - which can only strengthen our position. Since we have been granted special `expedited' status, we are anticipating a hearing date between March and May 2010.
Given this, and their other panicked reminders about voting for strike action, one assumes they are already aware that (a) support for a strike - as opposed to ticking a box saying you support it - is going to be negligible, especially if BA do EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID and remove Staff Travel from strikers PERMANENTLY; and (b) given their previous track record, BA will probably find it easy to block any strike action anyway.
So this could well be softening up process. Prepare for a significant drop in support for strike action, and even if there is a majority, prepare for a massive no-show on strike day. (And prepare for BA and disillusioned BASSA members asking why the reps aren't there on the picket line).
And, of course, one wonders if BA have had quiet word in McLuskey's ear (when he can keep his machismo-spouting mouth shut) with regards the issue of the costs, something along the lines of "You call strike action and we go for the throat". I wonder how successful McLuskey's bid for UNITE "foreman's" job will be when they find out he's thrown away millions of his comrade's money on a dispute that doesn't even affect most of them.
WatersideWonker (who probably never had any intention of standing on a picket line and losing staff travel) and the other "loosers" have gone very, very quiet. One would hope they are starting to see the light.
Good to see the PCCC getting more publicity, I can only hope that those that previously followed the BASSA line, and are starting to see how they are being used, at least ask for themselves what the PCCC can offer them.
As far as I can see it offers the opportunity to be represented by your colleagues as opposed to being led up the ramp by the Judas Sheep.