And the hysteria continues, by Ava Hannah:
Why? BA were being unreasonable and would not participate in serious negotiation.
You are represented by a Union that refused to view financial documentation, refused to sit in the same room as other union representatives, and sent text messages during a confidential negotiation session.
They played a nasty trick on us commuters. It wasn't a "trick", it was a statement regarding BA's position that they followed through with. BA thought they could scare us by threatening to remove our most valuable benefit should we go on strike. By all means, they removed it but good luck getting a deal with our union which has some 10.000 members unless Staff Travel forms part of it. Good luck with the 10,000 members when the majority of them came to work during the last strike. BASSA is down to 2,000 or at the most 3,000 hardliners and losing members daily. Unite have repeatedly said they will never recommend a proposal which does not include full reinstatement of it. Bassa have also given us reassurance that they will not either. I for one will never accept a proposal which does not include full reinstatement of Staff Travel. I for one would never accept a proposal that doesn't include my being a natural blonde and my gardener actually listening to my suggestions. Both of our suggestions have equally as much impact upon BA.
To take industrial action is a democratic right. To punish people for taking industrial action is not. Willie Walsh and his regime seem to think they are above the law. If BA is acting outside of law Unite/BASSA is more than welcome to take them to Court. Many of us have been at BA a long time and have great pride in our careers. We have created BA. No sweetie, you haven't "created BA", you've simply worked for BA. You may have been a very positive employee, but you no more "created" BA than the guy in the mailroom "created" MicroSoft. Look what has happened to this company because of Willie Walsh. Was one airline not enough for him to destroy?
Let's ballot again. I know where I am putting my X. Better yet, let's see BASSA actually put an offer up for vote to their members. They haven't done that yet.