The full post from DH tonight:
Just come in from various child minding duties (Louise on a trip) so forgive my late entry into the debate. I think I will let the dust settle a bit before making massive comment but in the meantime can I say this.
A lot of what is said publically these days has to be taken with a pinch of salt and a lot of reading between the lines.
I have no problem with AMICUS’s statement - I have been waiting for 21 years to hear them say what they said tonight and I never thought it would happen. But it has and fair play to them - they are a different beast from the one BA gave birth to back in 1989. They have every right to announce what they have - there is no real discord between us.
Obviously tactically they have chosen to "play" things differently to us. If we had done what they have now done there would be no ballot and many could then criticise us for not facilitating you, the membership, a chance to at least be be heard. My view is - and always will be - everyone has got to have a chance to cast their vote, whether they are rabid constant forum users or live in the outback of Australia with no contact with the outside world. That is a basic right of union membership and to ensure that would happen we (BASSA) had to take steps that most of us felt uncomfortable with, but it was for the greater long term good.
With the greatest of respect, something else you have to consider here. No matter how much you are - understandably - frustrated with Unite, when it comes to calling IA ballots they have the final say. So falling out with them could mean cutting off our own noses to spite our face. Think hard on that. The BASSA committee know what we are doing, this is not a 2-way dogfight between us and BA - there is a third interested party in this high stakes poker game and we must be aware of that in all our tactical moves. Everything is done with a purpose, please bear that in mind.
So where to we go from here - well WW could spit his dummy on the back of AMICUS’s statement or he might prefer to let things ride - we will know soon enough.
The ballot is still not ready to go out because BA are unhappy with us including the reps letter which we published on this website on Sunday.
Is it right that BA should dictate what we say in a preamble to a ballot, despite the fact it has been on our website? That debate was taking place tonight before AMICUS walked into the headlights.
The whole thing is quite bizarre. But please remember BA are reading every word. AMICUS BASSA and UNITE need to keep united. personallyI think WW is vulnerable, there are cracks and doubts much deeper than ours so, let’s just keep our nerve. I think there will be some more developments over the next 48 hours and I will get back to you when and if.
Please keep calm, I am not unduly worried by any of today’s events - remember this is a game of poker and that is not trying to belittle the stress, strains and confusion I know you are all feeling. Keep the Faith. It has been a year since we started down this never ending road but we have come too far to be diverted from the the cause that set us on the road in the first place .Rgds Duncan
Before any union people get their knickers in a twist, I copied the above from a frequent flyer forum, not a union or crew forum.