Safety Concerns,
We cannot compete, we cannot evolve enough to compete with the lowest cost based operator out there.
business is more subtle than that, we do not directly compete with the Lo-co's, BA makes the majority of it's money across the North Atlantic, so we need to provide a consistently high quality and flexible product for a reasonable price in this area. Stupid tactics like trying to prevent the closing of window blinds and other restrictive practices are only going to lead to the company failing to compete and losing business. Even if it is the ultimate fate of BA to go bust, would it be better that this happens this year or in twenty years. Twenty years of pay, and twenty years in which the business conditions may well change and a solution discovered.
Litebulbs
To have a choice is to have a voice. How do you realise that voice? At this time, the only way is to be a union member.
Not being a union member is also a choice. If you do not want to make that choice and have a voice, that is an individual decision, it is not for any organisation to allow it's self-interest to decide that an individual's choice is irrelevant.
If it is so important for all to be union members, why are the unions not offering their services for free, allowing members to pay what they feel the union membership is worth? Closed shops are about one thing and one thing only - union power.
It is not in some way anti-democratic to be decide you do not want to be part of a union. It is not anti-democratic to decide you do not want to vote, it is not anti-democratic to decide you do not wish for your voice to be heard. Forced union membership and closed shops have the democratic credentials of North Korea.