I think, in light of the TUC rhetoric in Manchester yesterday, that BASSA have just become a very, very small fish in a very big pond for Unite.
The private sector has already gone through the job cuts and rationalisation that is currently facing our exceedingly bloated civil service. The Labour Government has successfully surpressed unemployment numbers over their term by employing them into the Government system. Now we are left with a civil service that is highly inefficient, woefully over staffed and dreadfully mis managed.
How surprising that the trade Unions are trying to protect their members within the Government machine from the nasty cuts the rest of the private sector have had to endure. The losses to the Union coffers, garnered over the course of their bought and paid for Labour Government, will be huge.
The plight of a small branch, working in a private company, is about to take a back burner.
Birmingham city council have just sent out 24,000, yes 24,000, letters to staff informing them that if they do not take a pay cut AND increased productivity they will lose their jobs. Is Birmingham City Coucil about to be hailed as a bully as well for imposition?
Perhaps DH could brief them about bullying and intimidatory tactics as well? What the BASSA die hards fail to realise is that the world is turning nasty outside of planet BA and the dealings they have had with the company have been cushy compared to what is about to befall the Civil Service.
If the opportunity for settlement comes along then grasp it. It may well be your last chance.