Doug,
A large portion of the problem for carriers in the UK is the impact of poor legislation and taxation decisions levied by the government which all contribute to the profitability of carrier operations.
BALPA itself has fought the APD issue a supposed "green tax". A. Darling in November admitted publicly that the funds raised from APD were being used to prop up the bailed out banks.
So with government policy driving this issue down the tubes, carriers are cutting costs. Aircraft lease rates ? nope. fixed per lease term and as the UK currency slides the real cost increases (same with capital assets amortised over a term). fuel.. again poor government policy has increase the cost and again, as the UK currency slides the real cost increases, airport operating costs, increased due to taxation and policy and cannot be controlled by the carrier.. subsequently crew costs are being driven down.
Government policy that supports
this industry (and other business sectors), will allow air carriers to be more profitable and as such provide better T&C's.
So what if Unite associate themselves with Labour?
UNITE funds this government, the same government that has damaged our industry.
There does exist a bigger picture here; And that is not living in the past.