Litebulbs,
LM is 'part of the problem' regarding this dispute. She, and a lot of her fellow reps made this personal - at the expense of the membership. Having her, and even worse the main muppet DH, at any kind of talks would have rendered any talks totally pointless.
Untie is the negotiating union now, not bassa. bassa have shown themselves to be purely interested in the vested interests of the reps - who we all know to be over 90% CSDs and pursers, and mostly WW. The moment they made it personal WW won! WW has kept the whole process as a business proposition.
There is not a 'snowball in a very hot places chance' that WW and BA would remotely bother having any direct contact with bassa - what would be the point as they are not interested in any outcome that would lose THEM their power. A power that has led to this confrontation!!
TW and most of the senior people at Untie are at least professionals and look at the big picture. They must be sick to the back teeth of the dysfunctional branch called bassa and are trying to ensure that BA cabin crew do not get screwed by the very people that were supposed to look after their interests.
I would not be at all surprised if Untie deal directly with BA in the future and further marginalise the power hungry bassa shower.
BA cabin crew need, and deserve, decent union representation. bassa in it's present dysfunctional and mis-leading state do not appear to be that union!!!!!