Mr. Holley's latest message raises some serious questions regarding BASSA's recent representations regarding numbers who participated in the strike.
No BASSA member should read this without taking serious pause to consider where the union currently stands.
The message in its entirety can be found on the Cabin Crew thread at
http://www.pprune.org/cabin-crew/418...f-only-90.html
It is obvious from the first few paragraphs that Mr. Holley understands that many members were not amused by the flippant and smarmy tone of the original. His title of "Easy to Read" is, in itself, an insult to his members. The inference given is that he has to dumb down the message for them to understand it rather than BASSA simply communicating in a professional manner.
A few points of interest:
There are no forums where managers openly criticise British Airways leadership, or indeed Willie Walsh, or Bill Francis et al;
Mr. Holley is conveniently forgetting that thorn in BASSA's side, Pprune. Both sides are debated here on a regular basis as he well knows. His statement regarding BASSA being an "open forum" is simply false.
Mr. Holley's discussion of Mixed Fleet gives lie to those "hit and run" posters on the Cabin Crew forum who state that Mixed Fleet will fail and is nothing to worry about.
New mixed fleet is already being recruited. It starts soon, very soon. People are applying from outside and from all over BA, even a number of current crew. They must all end their current contract and be reemployed on a new, very different contract.
This Fleet is where British Airways believes the future is. Not with you. They are calling them the “creme de la creme of crew”; that’s why you cannot transfer, you must “apply” to ensure you buy into the new culture; they will be kept completely separate from current crew so that they do not learn your culture. They will even be trained by external trainers and will not mix with you. Believe it or not, they will also - no doubt as a provocative stance - wear the uniform hat, to identify them as “different” - better if you like, than you.
The roles, working practices and aggressive performance management you will have to work to on this fleet will bear no resemblance to anything you have known.
I believe Mr. Holley's last paragraph regarding Mixed Fleet is correct in part. Aggressive performance management is something that has been lacking in BA of late regarding its Cabin Crew and it shows. Mixed Fleet actually provides some hope to customers that wish to be the main concern of Cabin Crew...not worrying about the dangers of closing a shade.
And most interesting of all commentary:
Mr Walsh has all but destroyed the union. Whether it’s window blinds, new crewing levels or less rest, who in the future is going to question it? Who are people going to complain to when things go wrong? The union? If things don’t change then it’s already too late. The office has long gone, reps are being routinely sacked, the union only exists within ourselves now, its structure has been dismantled. (emphasis added)
What happened to "7,000 Cabin Crew went on strike and we're still counting". If that statement were true it certainly would not represent a union "destroyed".
Again Mr. Holley gives no clear vision and pointedly offers no direction to those who have lost their staff travel. No notice regarding when suit will be filed only a promise of a lengthy delay with no date certain for delivery of action or relief.
Members having been paying monthly dues for years, YEARS...and there have been assessments received from other Unions and BASSA can't even open a temporary office? Yet Unite is looking to expand its £100 million "training centre for shop stewards"???
Unite union facing opposition over plans to expand £100m headquarters | Mail Online
Rather than a "rally the troops" message one is left with the impression of desperation and regret.
My musical suggestion would be to replace ABBA's "Waterloo" with Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie".