The ST issue has unfortunately become less one of punishment than of credibility. Imagine if after the strike is over, outcome is as follows: The union threatened to withdraw labour & cost BA tens of millions - and it did just that. BA tried to dissuade CC from striking by warning everyone that if this happened then it would definitely remove ST from strikers - but then it didn't. Where would that leave BA in future negotiations? We have been repeatedly told on this forum that part of reason for the hefty pro-strike votes was a belief that BA was only bluffing (as previous CEO's have done)and that any sanctions would be undone as part of settlement, i.e. heads you win a better deal, tails you don't lose anything. The union has also staked its credibility on reinstatement. If that IS proved to be the result, any credibility of BA threats in future negotiations would be lost. WW knows this, and also that if he isn't willing to see it through then he will leave the union reinvigorated and his successors vulnerable to an early repeat performance.
Last but not least, I wonder about the union's recent elevation of ST to become the headline issue, since it is one area where the public is unlikely to have very much sympathy, particularly coming into the holiday season when tens of thousands of working people are threatened with having their paid and hard earned vacations disrupted so that "the Pimms drinking and BMW driving" (not my words - see today's press) cabin crew can enjoy unlimited freebies in their allegedly ample spare time. This shift of focus from issues with which the rest of the UK workforce can identify might prove another faux pas in a rather badly run campaign.
It is certainly arguable as to whether ST was a particularly wise or effective card for BA to have played - clearly it wasn't enough to stop the strikes happening - but having done so, it is probably committed to having to press on.
Im not CC, but this seems like a very good analysis to me.
BA is a great company, but loosing money. There is very little public support for the striking CC, and what there is appears to be militant. Rightly or wrongly, I think the public perception is that BA CC are on a good package, but dont know it.
Those who choose to strike, and stay within the law, should have their contracts honoured. But as I understand it, the ST's and non-contractual, and strikers should loose those rights. And for the reasons (quoted) above, WW and BB should not re-instate them for those who strike.