I struggle to find one single smart move from BASSA
Well, I think you have to look through the other end of the telescope...
What BASSA have done, for the last n years, is to successfully protect the way of life and working conditions of their members... actually, it would seem, an élite corps of their members, who apparently are LHR based CSDs, and, possibly the more senior Pursers.
That they have been successful in doing that for so long to the longer term detriment of both of BA as a Company, and their other members (e.g., the LGW staff), matters not to the élite corps.
And, arguably, they have provided leadership to the BA cabin crew, filling a vacuum left by the inept management who allowed them to do that... pace Red Robbo and his like in the Midlands car industry, who successfully shut down volume car manufacturing in the U.K., whereas it still seems to be a possible and sufficiently profitable business in, e.g., France and Germany.
So, the lack of smart moves in the current dispute is that BASSA failed to realise that the winds of change finally were going to blow their tent away. If they'd looked around them, they might have seen that the other parts of BA had already seen the way that the wind was blowing, and adjusted their expectations to suit. But, as so many have commented, the BASSA response was to stick their heads into the sand, and their fingers into the air.
BASSA up to now have been very successful. They were allowed to be successful by a weak management that failed to provide leadership. But now that management has finally taken control, BASSA hasn't got a game plan.
I only hope for all the good and dedicated cabin crew that I have seen over my years as a BA customer that IFCE will ensure that only truly competent Leaders, from both sides of the table, will be allowed to run the show henceforth.