Why Jack Jones is causing BA's problems.
A little history lesson about TUs.
In the 50s and 60s, most TUs were pretty much autocratic set-ups. What the "Executive" said was the rule.....in some cases, an iron rule. The ETU (electricians) and then the EETPU (electricians combined with plumbers) were very much centralised. The Exec ruled.
In the late 60s, Jack Jones became the Gen Sec of the T & G and set about democratising the T & G. He wanted local Works Cttees of the T & G and shop stewards to hold more power, and the Central Exec and Full Time National Officials to have much less power. he drove this through, offending many in the centre, but pleasing some in the factories.
His model lead us to British Leyland situations, where the Trots and Anarchists of BL took the workforce out on strike with no control whatsoever from the T & G.
Unite have inherited the Jack Jones T & G local autonomy model - so the central folk in Unite have little choice other than to back the wierd and wonderful demands of the Champagne Charlies running bassa.
That's enough History for now.