Outsiders view
Having read all the posts regarding this issue over many months and in noway taking any sides on this issue, I would like to make a few suggestions to both sides and to the confused ( i am sure there is many)
Bassa Reps and their supporters
A Rep is a messenger boy or ( Girl), They have a duty to negotiate on their members behalf and when they have taken that as far as possible, it is their duty to bring back to the members the final position, This can be done with a recommendation to accept/ reject or leave it open to the members to vote accordingly to their own view. To recommend a rejection, they must hold the view that they can get a better deal, If you don,t achieve this, you dont have any option but to stand aside and let others try to recover a deal
In this case a "better deal" is now not possible, The union is split and even if you have a "majority" your position is untenable as you are unable to represent all the membership, In the intrest of the members of Cabin Crew stand aside to see if someone else can do a "deal"
Otherside
Regardless of "feelings" to take strike action takes courage, a them and us situtation will never work, Its easy to "break a strike" its much more difficult to find a acceptable answer to the problem. Leaving the union means you have no say. Management will learn lessons how to "deal" with the workforce in the future, Remember the total focus for all companys is cost, Its what drives the market price, Records show that one of the best ways to raise share price is to announce that you are making staff redundant. management bonus is linked to share price most of the time
So in reality the anti Bassa people are part of the problem and also part of the solution. I suggest that the UNITE membership ( non BASSA) now use their membership to put pressure on the UNITE Union to find a solution
I was a Union rep, and have seen this before, The solution was a "committee" outside of cabin crew ( unite reps within BA)hold the talks with management to find the solution , of course they report back to BASSA and also take on board "Cabin Crew fears" Everything can be on the table, Its a "win" "win" situtaion for both sides and the final position can be put honestly to all the members.
That folks is how a Union should work, The majority eventually take control ( not a single branch dictating), It workers power taking control and remember the "good times" will come back and as they say you can always "wait in the long grass"