A pro strike friend warned me recently that I will be out of a job very soon if I don't fight now.
As far as my job is concerned, Don't worry about me yet!
I am sure I will be fine.
My dad had a saying, it went like this:
"Nothing is ever eaten as hot as it is cooked"
I am sure that in this case it is also true.
There are employment laws in Europe and every company (including BA) will have to adhere to them.
A company doing well can't simply dispense of it's employees or turn existing ones into low cost employees at will.
After all we are living in the 21st century.
As for a company not doing well, I suppose it is only logical that they will try to bring in some cost savings to survive.
And a fight for survival it is for most airlines right now, including BA. Something we really can not argue over.
Eventually when things will turn around and BA will make loads of money again (if they ever will) we can fight to have changes reversed.
That I will consider an honorable fight worth striking for.
We are now entering a phase where even Unite are probably wishing to distance themselves from BASSA due to their idiotic, militant and stubborn behavior.
It's ugly and I don't know where it will end, but I know for sure the vast majority of cabin crew now are begging for the last offer to be put back on the table.
Let alone all the even better offers we had throughout last year.
All of which were refused by our trusted and very very well paid BASSA reps without ever allowing us to vote on them.
Is Willy Walsh going for the kill now?
I don't know but I wouldn't put it past him.
Our wise BASSA leaders have gambled and failed us miserably.
Listening to some of their often vile, dumb and outrages propaganda is at times shocking and deeply offensive to my intelligence.
I honestly have to tell you.
Seeing how some of the union membership let themselves get beaten into a complete frenzy without questioning anything their union tells them.
Or without obtaining information from sources other than BASSA,
the meetings and picket lines are beginning to remind me of some very ugly historical events under dictatorships.
And we are not even going to mention the things being said on the crew forum or the BASSA forum itself.
BASSA should realize that not all of their membership are that narrow minded.
Will I put my job or my staff travel on the line for their ignorance?
No, I surely won't and by the looks of it more than 60% of BA's cabin crew won't either.
BASSA should have chosen their battle more wisely.
Many years ago at my previous airline when the going got really tough the cabin crew population there had pay cuts and cost savings forced upon them 3 times in 2 years.
Amounting to 28%, then 12%, the another 8%, that included having 2 and even 3 people taken of most of our aircrafts.
Almost 25% of our cabin crew was made redundant involuntary.
There was no talk of strike, just an understanding that savings had to be made and quickly, in order to ensure that we would all have an airline to work for a few years down the line.
What can I say?
The airline in question still exists, against all expectations.
And if things will get better you can bet that their cabin crew union will fight a tough and honorable battle to get back what they gave up.
There is a time and a place for everything.
Just ensure it's the appropriate one!
That's what I have build my decisions on.
And one more thing, during the last strike I worked a very long trip on a 747.
We were understaffed and worked every single one of the 4 legs with either a completely full or nearly full load with 12 crew members.
Except for Duty Free we provided a regular service with hot meals and no corners cut.
The cabin crew and flight deck crew that I had the pleasure to work with were a credit to BA and their profession.
Nobody moaning, hating their job, simple professionalism where it was needed.
I heard no complaints what so ever, even though we all fully expected not to get paid extra for all the missing crew members and the resulting extra work.
We had an amazing team spirit and everybody displayed a great "can do" attitude.
