If you can't or don't wish to download through the link to BA's last offer (now withdrawn due to the strike announcement), her it is for all to read. Unbelievable that Unite /BASSA would turn this down. Absolutely crazy. The following would have been
very easy for BA cabin crew to take on. BA even offered pay rises in the coming financial years (para 5) with continuation of incremental rises, and bonuses commensurate with company future performance (para 7). But no, the union belligerents apparently know better!
Well done the self-seeking non-thinkers from Unite/BASSA! Talk about shooting yourselves in the feet, along with everybody else's' feet as well!
The Way Forward - British Airways Formal Offer 11/03/2010
This formal offer made by British Airways to Unite the union has been produced under the auspices of the TUC. The document embodies a number of vitally important commitments, which apply to both parties.
1. Shared objective - Both the company and the union share the common goals of ensuring a strong and successful future for the company and the highest possible level of service to its customers, delivered by employees enjoying the best possible terms and conditions. The company fully recognises, values and respects the talent and experience of its current cabin crew.
2. Competitive cost base - Both parties acknowledge the need for change to establish a competitive cost base for the future of the company to be secured. It is also acknowledged that both the extent and nature of the change within the company has given all parties a number of concerns that need to be addressed.
3. Working together - In this offer the union and the company commit to work together to allay these concerns and to rebuild the trust damaged by the recent dispute, in order to lay the foundations for a new positive industrial relations environment to make the company a great place to work.
4. Productivity Target - Both parties agree to deliver the annual company target of £62.5 million per annum of permanent structural change.
5. Pay - The company has offered a 3 year pay deal effective from 1/2/2010 as follows.
• Year one 2010/11 current pay scales will be maintained.
• Year two 2011/12 the company will increase pay based on December 2010 RPI and capped at 4%.
• Year three 2012/13 the company will increase pay based on December 2011 RPI
and capped at 4%.
6. Incremental pay - Incremental increases will continue to be applied.
7. Bonus - The company will pay a non pensionable lump sum bonus worth 2% of basic pay for each of the next three years, paid in year three. This will be payable if the company achieves a 6% operating margin, customer satisfaction and punctuality targets in each year, increasing to a 4% lump sum bonus for a 10% operating margin.
8. Complements - The company will re-introduce a level of complement equivalent to a total of 184 full time crew into Euro Fleet and World Wide, the distribution of which will be determined by the company. This will be reviewed each season in line with commercial need. Any new recruitment to facilitate complement changes will be into the new fleet.
The level of flying remaining in Worldwide and Eurofleet wi ll be determined by the number of flights which can be covered with existing crew and complement levels.
To enable the reintroduction of complements, further savings have been jointly identified;
- Removal of early day report from World Wide
- Removal of telephone allowance from World Wide and Euro Fleet
- Removal of language allowance from all fleets
- Non flying variable pay maintained at current levels
- Crew meals aligned to world traveller specification
- Overseas meal allowances maintained at current levels
Complements remain non-contractual.
9. New Fleet - There will be a separate mixed flying fleet for new crew, with separate terms and conditions and bargaining rights for Unite. There will be a separate negotiating body for new fleet, which will not discuss the terms and conditions of
current crew.
10. Commitments for existing crew - Alongside the introduction of new fleet, the company has confirmed the following commitments to existing crew;
• Terms and Conditions for Current Crew - A fundamental principle of this offer is that crew will have a firm commitment from British Airways in respect to their terms of employment. Current crew can feel assured that their existing contractual terms will be maintained for the future unless amended through the agreed NSP negotiating procedures.
• Access to route network· It is the company's intention to ensure a fair and transparent distribution of routes to all fleets. Both parties have agreed to explore the feasibility of a new Monthly Duty Payment (MDP) to replace existing variable allowances. This new MDP will be the subject of negotiation between the parties and will include the principle of rewarding 'intensity of work'. If agreement is reached, its operation will form part of the TUC review (see paragraph 16 Assurances).
• Access to aircraft type· It is the company's intention to deploy new aircraft based on commercial need across existing and new fleets. New aircraft will be introduced on a fair and transparent basis across all the company's fleets. Existing crew terms, conditions and fleet agreements will apply when new aircraft are operated on existing fleets. As new aircraft are introduced across all of the company's fleets, crew will be trained in order to receive the necessary licenses as required by regulation.
• Career structure and opportunities for current crew· The career structure for current crew within current fleets will continue on the basis of existing practice, unless amended through the agreed NSP negotiating procedures. The company confirm that where there are opportunities available, existing crew will be promoted on existing terms and conditions on current fleets.
• Honouring current and future agreements· During these talks both parties have discussed current and future agreements. This document intends to reinforce both BA and Unite's commitment to honour and apply these agreements. Unite continue to be recognised for collective bargaining for current crew's terms and conditions on existing fleets. Both parties accept the importance of honouring agreements and are committed to treating each other with respect, in order to create a climate of good industrial relations. In particular, the implementation and operation of this offer will be reviewed - with the support of the TUC - after a period of six months.
• Ability to transfer fleet/base on current terms and conditions - As with the current process, there is no guarantee of achieving a transfer. However, both parties have committed to continue with the current practice of transfers at Heathrow between Eurofleet and Worldwide, and to find a mechanism to aid limited transfers from Gatwick under current terms and conditions.
• Part·time - The company will continue to honour commitments to make part-time offers to all crew on existing lists by March 2011. The offer will be on existing fleets, terms and conditions.
11. Future Industrial Relations - Following the conclusion of this offer both parties are committed to entering into a process of working together constructively with a mutually agreed independent third party.
12. IR Framework - Both parties commit to establishing a new industrial relations framework for Cabin Crew within eight weeks of concluding this offer. If agreement isn't reached, the ACAS code of practice will be implemented
13. Disruption Agreement - In order to minimise the impact of disruption to our customers and our crew, the following points will remain, or be incorporated into the Disruption Agreement:
• The definition of disruption remains unchanged.
• The double night will be removed for Worldwide diverted inbound services to anywhere in the UK and Europe, and a minimum of 15 hours off-duty will be achieved if the aircraft is unable to continue to its original destination.
• When disruption takes place the IFCE management team will advise Duty representatives and crew colleagues when and how the disruption agreement has been applied. A review will take place of any disruption at the next joint meeting
14. Changes to BA Forum and corporate policies - Potential changes to corporate policies that apply to all colleagues across the company and covered at the BA Forum and EPC have been subject to discussion. Both parties commit to concluding these discussions within one month of completing this offer.
15. Status of the offer - This offer maintains the contractual rights of cabin crew at their current level. The offer does not reduce or extend them from where they are today.
16. Assurances - In the event that either party has concerns about the interpretation, implementation and/ or operation of this offer, and in the event of any such matters not being able to be resolved after exhausting procedures, the TUC will be asked to convene further discussions between the parties with the remit of assisting on unresolved points. Such meetings may be called by either party and will be convened within seven days.