After being going for a week the BALPA Perception Poll has attracted just a little shy of 500 votes. The number of votes cast has started to slow and the posts continuing the debate has faltered slightly (which wasn't the aim). So in an effort to boost things it needs a little jump start.
Unfortunately I don't work for MORI otherwise I'd be able to advise the error factor in the poll. However some results are irrefutable if answered honestly by PPRuNe members. I've been monitoring this thread actively. I've also tried to stimulate posts from those who were voting in significant numbers but weren't adding comments as to why. Most posts so far tend to be from the disenfranchised.
However in an effort to stimulate debate and initiatives here goes some basic analysis of the results so far:
Current BALPA Membership
The most noticable trend with the voting on this over the past week was the contents/could do better's were in the majority until approx. halfway through the vote, when they were matched and then eclipsed by those considering ending membership. The first three options have by and large shared an equal percentage +/- 3% throughout.
Worryingly for the membership administrators 34% are currently considering ending membership and a further 27% would do so if they felt there was a viable alternative (I by no means degrade the IPA here - I have been a member of both and found them more helpful and more attuned to my needs when I approached them both before my first airline interview)
So based on the votes so far, there is roughly a 40%-60% split, with the minority favouring BALPA's performance and perception.
Again, it would be interesting (despite a couple of requests already) if we could see if there is a trend in terms of experience level or airline of the 40% of members who are content/impressed. It has been suggested on about three threads currently running at present that these may predominately be members of certain airlines with robust Company Councils (CC's for those new to the expression).
Former Members
There is no definitive information as to when this group ended/cancelled their membership. I was limited to 9 options in the poll. From comments made and PM's sent to me it would generally appear to be over a wide spread of time (From Dan Air in the early 90's to the past few months). The next set of conclusions may be erroneous as a result but also have some validity.
If the former members are added together they total approximately 130 (03:00 25/FEB). This makes them the biggest group of those holding/held BALPA membership and have voted in this poll. When combining with the current members votes (total: 440) we see 30% have cancelled, 25% are actively considering it, 20% are not happy, 19% are content and 6% impressed.
Now adding together the malcontent's, disenfranchised and unimpressed a total of 75% is achieved compared to 25% who voted as content/impressed. This is a massive 3:1 ratio and to put it in context equals that of George Bush just before he left office*.
Again, worryingly for BALPA is at the two extremes of cancellation and strong support. Those who's perception/experience is damaged outnumber those who have strong support and praise by almost 5:1.
Never Been Members
I would suggest (as nobody has informed me either by PM or publicly) that this group is made up of foreign pilots, those not covered by the auspices of BALPA's remit, student pilots, aspiring pilots, and general spotters who have a strong interest in aviation and trawl through PPRuNe as a result.
Not all of the 50ish who have voted in these 2 categories would be potential new recruits however some would be. Of interest to any BALPA hierarchy reading this (because they must have had wind before now) is that for every 1 person who looks upon them favourably, almost 10 do not. This to me seems to suggest they need to employ some better
PR activities going forward as they certainly have an image problem that needs addressing.
As I have asked for already it would be really interesting to know why this 50 voted this way and their backgrounds. If its foreign pilots comparing their perceptions of the British unions effectiveness to their own then that would certainly be worth debating further.
Discuss ................
(* Washington Post
Timeline: Bush's Eight Years in Office | washingtonpost.com)