Regarding the mysterious increase from 85 to 140 parked aircraft at Heathrow. I recall Unite saying at the time that they announced the alleged 85 aircraft with the other 20 at Cardiff and 20 at Shannon that this was because there was only room for 85 maximum at Heathrow.
I know nothing of the facts here but I can tell that someone is either contradicting themselves or even possibly telling porkies and not doing it in a clever way.
It was also very telling to hear yesterday of Unite calling for the intervention of the BA Chairman & Board which was rejected by a firm announcement from the Chairman this morning declaring support by the Board for its CEO commenting further that they thought the CEO was handling the situation very well.
Spending substantial money on international travel to the US seeking their union support was also a marginal play.
These are all clear signs of a side that is losing the negotiation and we will expect to hear and see even more desperate, and even bordering on pathetic, statements and actions in the days ahead.
Unite handled the negotiation competently, if not somewhat clumsily, up until calling strike action a week ago Friday when they had secured their best offer yet. What they failed to learn is that with the substantially increased pro-employee statutory employment legislation, when compared to the '70s, the power of strike action today lies in the threat and not in the action.
They could also do with sharpening their business negotiation skills which anyone who has the responsibility for running a business realises that in any negotiation the optimum tightness for the screw is to turn it until the head falls off and then back off by 1/4 turn but, ooops, by then the head has already fallen off!