Let me also say a word about the British Airways dispute. I will try to keep my remarks on this to 140 characters, so Derek can tweet it in its entirety! But seriously - this has been a long and bitter dispute – and it is not over yet. It has caused inconvenience to the public, which we can only regret.
But I want to make clear one thing which I do not regret: That is about standing shoulder to shoulder with decent, brave men and women fighting for their right to be treated like the loyal professionals they are. I have done my share of strikes. When I look back I can’t defend all of them.
Like the time we all took a vote to call a strike at a mass meeting in the car park, with the factory on fire before our eyes. But this is a dispute which no self-respecting fighting back trade union could have avoided.
It is a dispute which can be summed up in a word: Bullying.
- Bullying that imposes radical changes on our members without agreement
- Bullying that has seen other BA employees incited against cabin crew with, to their lasting shame, the collusion of BALPA and scab pilots
- Bullying that has meant more than 50 of our brothers and sisters suspended or sacked for the crime of sending a text or posting a remark on Facebook
- Bullying that forbids them from talking about their own dispute in public
- Bullying that victimises trade unionists by branding them second-class employees for life through the discriminatory use of travel concessions
Well there is only one thing to do with bullies – that is stand up to them until they learn some manners. And we have built a union that is strong enough and proud enough to do that even to a business the size of British Airways.
Some opportunists may call that adventurism or phoney militancy. I call it basic self-respect, and anyone not prepared to stand up for our members in struggle is not fit to lead this great union
So let me say two things from this rostrum today.
The first is to Willie Walsh.
Willie, we all know there is a deal to be done at British Airways. One that recognises the real commercial needs and problems of your company as well as our members’ legitimate interests. Unite is ready to do that deal. But we are not, and never will, be prepared to see our members and our union humiliated, victimised and reduced to ruins, as you seem to want - NEVER
My second message is to all our cabin crew members. Your union is proud of you. You have stood up not just for yourselves but for our movement as a whole. We have stood firm in the face of ludicrous anti-union judgements in the courts. in the face of a torrent of lies and smears in the Tory press, and in the face of everything a ruthless employer can throw at you.
We will continue to stand alongside you until this company sees sense and we have an agreement that we can put to you for endorsement with a clear conscience.
Comrades,