Facesaving
I would suggest that it has been constant 'face saving' for both BASSA and BA managment for the last 30 years, that has bought about the situation today whereby a union runs a major airline and controls approx 30,000 staff - Now for once there is a CEO who has the cojones to stand up and say - Enough - No More.
If the spoilt brat screams - let it scream - don't reward it with sweets and start the cycle all over again - throw it away with the bathwater!!