Right Engine
It is a highly contentious point as to whether pilots volunteering to work as volunteer CC would make or break WW's plan or indeed BA itself. So your last sentence, while making you appear a martyr to the cause, is at best, questionable.
If we at least agree on it being 'contentious', that's a start. What you are failing to appreciate is (forgive the repetition) that if you asked the average volunteer
why they were volunteering, they would have probably answered like me, that if they didn't muck in, they would be rueing their decision in a years time when BA in their pessimistic opinion, went to the wall.
I am as right wing as they come but having observed BA management first hand for the past 20+ years I do realise why unions are a necessary evil. However, the act of using other unionised workers in the same company to break a dispute is one thing but the pilot's volunteering I think is a disaster.
I think I can agree on the fact that we have ruthless managers. I don't think as an organisation we have a monopoly on that style. I have quite a few friends in other industries who are victims to the harsh realities of corporations muddling through the most entrenched recession in our lifetime. Unemployment focusses the mind somewhat and having had the opportunity to sample that in my early 20's, I don't wish to do it again.
Firstly, relations between pilots and CC in BA have always been poor and BASSA have never missed an opportunity to cast aspersions about pilots with most allegations or references being almost entirely fictitious. I hardly think pilots volunteering will improve that situation.
I don't think it will improve the situation too! But when I look at the possibilities that face us, I'm more than happy to continue making my own tea in the forward galley. I would also say, that you are being rather pessimistic about how begrudging our colleagues will be. I have been treated with utter disdain by cabin crew in 'peacetime', by jumped-up militant
pr*cks, so to be treated in that way after all this has been resolved will be no different.
Secondly, BALPA have claimed neutrality yet one of the BACC reps has caused unbelievable dissent and division within the BALPA hierachy by volunteering himself at the first opportunity. How will that help the pilot negotiators when next there is a joint negotiation between all flying staff representatives and BA?
The rep you refer to was told to stand down after he did his course. The course that suffered the threatening text to nearly all crew of their names. It became personal and he didn't withdraw as a volunteer. That shows an element of bravery that has been sorely lacked by the more left-leaning reps who sought his dismissal.
Thirdly, how will BALPA's declared neutral stance be seen when one of its volunteer officers has visibly sought to undermine another union's dispute?
He has been removed from office. Should we stone him too? On that point, if his removal was a peace offering by BALPA to consolidate that 'neutrality', why did we not hear from BASSA about it? Because they want us as their 'enemy'. We are the ones 'in the know' about how GOOD it is for crew and how BA's offer was just making their excellent package, slightly less excellent. BASSA fear the pilot community because we can recognise the heady smell of bullsh*t that eminates from their HQ.
Fourthly, it is my view that once WW wins this dispute, which he well and truly will, does anybody really believe he will not be emboldened to tackle the next group using similar tactics?
I don't expect anything else. But then again, if BA looks like the airline it once was in a year or two from now, I'm not sure he would want to tarnish the brand with the threat of IA.
Unite/BASSA 'leaders' are a bunch of short sighted idiots and their ridiculous behaviour has jeopardised the position of everybody in the company but looking further ahead they will have truly stuffed all employees negotiating strength for the foreseeable future once they are beaten.
Can't agree with you. You know as well as I do that their short sightedness and ridiculous behaviour played a part in their downfall. If Unions choose to avoid myopic tom-foolery in the future then their members will not suffer like CC.
BA's immediate viability is not much threatened by this strike. They have the funding and can allow it to continue for some months although my prediction is it will be over within 48 hours. BA's real problem is that its business model no longer works and its CAPEX funding requirements over the next few years are far from assured.
I think that is where we fundamentally agree to differ. I believe in a rather old fashioned business model that suggests that if as a going concern, you make your revenue exceed your costs by a healthy margin, then all is well. BA is hindering it's revenue because people will not book with us whilst we are associated with an annual ritual of Industrial action. If we solve that nut with Willie's sledgehammer, then we can make that simple equation work to all our advantage. So, yes, the immediate viability is not the issue, the long term viability is!
I have worked for numerous companies during my career but I have to say, with no sense of pleasure, that BA is the most dysfunctional organisation I have ever known. Interdepartmental envy, wilful obstructiveness (e.g. when using staff travel) and sheer unpleasantness often shown by individuals to colleagues in other departments coupled with appalling middle management makes it a very odd place to work.
I have been long term unemployed. It is not as nice.
The reason I stay is because it pays me very well indeed and is one of the best pilot jobs in the world. Being a pilot also means that for most of the time I am not immediately affected by the aforementioned issues and my working environment can be described as pleasant.
But to be brutally honest many thousands of BA employees don't deserve to have a job let alone a well rewarded one with BA and if BA went bust it would finally bring home a few home truths to those who have been blind to them for so long.
This current dispute epitomises the culture within BA and the future will indeed be interesting.
So if you
feel that way, and the process of volunteering was the only contribution you could make to averting BA's demise, then could you possibly be agreeing with me?