Don't get me wrong - I want a strong BALPA as much as the next person. I mean that quite sincerely. The reason I am becoming so irate is exactly because I want BALPA to be a strong, respected, universal pilots union. I would support BALPA all the way. More than most I would say if it came down to it.
This country is financially up the creek and has been making a loss and needing to borrow money for years. I think we owe well over a trillion an the moment and this is increasing by £165 billion a year presently. Do I see other professional associations / unions allowing their doctors / nurses / teachers / bin-men, etc. to be employed as casually as pilots are? NO. This is because their representatives make sure that this doesn't happen.
The only organisation we have to provide the aviation industry with a 'this is how pilot employment works' type set of guidelines is BALPA and look at what has happened. It has failed.
The company I work for is going to make over £100m this year yet it employs many FO's, via a sub-contracter, on an hourly rate with no pension, no sick pay, no nightstop allowance, no anything else. Many are suffering personal and financial stress as a result. Some are having to declare themselves bankrupt to get the bailiffs off their back. They won't be getting a mortgage or any other borrowing facilities for the foreseeable future. (£100m profit remember - thats after the Ash losses) "United in pilot's interests" ?? WTF??
"Do you see no irony at all in bemoaning "no action at the fundamental level????" That's YOU!"
No I'm afraid it's not me. I'm a pilot. I fly aeroplanes. I am a professional. I PAY someone to look after the industry in which I work. People are therefore PAID to look after the industry. As I said before BALPA is not a charity. Maybe you could suggest something that I personally could do to sort out the issue I mentioned above for instance.
I have cut and pasted the following from post number 9 which you say you so admire:
"In short, neither BALPA nor IPA have any power to prevent the situation posed"
So what exactly are they for? Please someone explain to me in straight plain English, not esoteric New Labour style BS of which I am sick, exactly what BALPA is for in May 2010.