Latest from BASSA:
Industrial action is and will always be a regrettable last and final option. It is important that we emphasise LAST option.
Industrial action or even the threat of industrial action causes everybody concern, worry and sleepless nights.
Unite is your union and as your union we have a responsibility and a duty to try every option that we possibly can to avert strike action.
We have been busy since the beginning of January trying to do exactly that.
Have we been successful yet? So far, No.
Will we keep trying? Yes.
Will we keep trying until the point when there simply is no other option? Again Yes.
We have acted with professionalism, with dignity and with patience to try and find a solution to an array of complex issues.
The talks have covered:
A permanent cost saving solution
Protection and on going commitment to honour existing agreements.
Protection of current crew - Earnings, agreements, promotion, leave, staff travel and routes operated.
A new mixed flying fleet.
Ability to transfer to existing fleets for LHR and LGW crew.
Access to part time contracts.
Disruption Agreement.
Crewing levels.
We are attempting to ensure a safe, more secure and a better future for all current crew. In short, ensuring British Airways is a better place to work moving forward than it is currently.
British Airways management side appear on occasions to be less than enthusiastic about achieving this success; instead preferring a more confrontational approach. At times they appear desperate to provoke a dispute, perhaps to create the stage, upon which they can perform their finest "tragedy" or soap opera, depending on your taste and to show the world, what a tough, hard nosed management they really are.
It is unlikely that today’s much publicised Waterside briefing by Mr Walsh will be conciliatory. The content will more than likely be glorious self justifying details of his plans to "smash" any strike.
It truly is such a shame that as much energy as not been put into solving this dispute as opposed to trying to break it.
In many ways it would be far easier to have negotiated a deal to put one crew member back on our aircraft, than devise plans to put "thousands of volunteers" on instead.
Numerous confrontational ESS communications, the deliberate scheduling by Mr Walsh of this hour long "industrial dispute" update to all staff at the exact point where talks have reached a critical and fragile stage, along side the insistence of holding disciplinaries for several of our negotiating team this very week, and the petty gesture whereby the very reps involved in trying to reach an agreement having their basic pay subtracted for any days spent trying to find that solution- are not helpful, and resemble more of a stick than an olive branch.
This will not distract us in anyway as we remain focused on the task ahead of us. It’s not easy but if we can achieve it, it will be a welcome relief for everybody and that is of course our preferred option.
If we cannot, it will not be from want of trying, but because there are no other options left and if industrial strike action is necessary, then that is exactly what we will do, having done all that we absolutely possibly can to avoid it.
Don’t feel isolated and alone, our safety and our strength and our best chance of achieving a deal is by remaining together, every single person plays a part in that, every single person that abandons their friends and colleagues sends out a message.
No matter how they justify it to themselves, it undermines that strength.
These are worrying times for us all, don’t just expect others to give you strength and confidence, if you are on a flight and you talk to people that have doubts- that are only natural- put your arm around them and give them your strength.
Prepare yourselves, whether that be for the best or the worst... As that time is coming...