Crew74,
BASSA have jumped on the negotiating bandwagon by riding the coat tails of other Unions who are more skilled at negotiation than they are. Then they cast disparaging comments about how 'ill suited' the deal was and how they 'fought' to represent the CC. The pensions dispute, the pay negotiations were all conducted under 'we'll have whatever the others got'. As long as other Unions achieved an 'acceptable deal' under the umbrella of the corporate pay deal BASSA were always grumblingly happy to tag along.
Now we have seen cost cutting based upon productivity and worth why should we accept the one fits all mantra again? Surely we should all be using the cost savings benchmark as a starting point for pay negotiation and thus the 'one fits all' system won't work.
BASSA want a backstop in trying to enforce a rule where, no matter how bad their representation, no matter how bad their negotiating skills and no matter how few times they actually turn up for meaningful discussion they are guaranteed to achieve at least whatever the most successful negotiations for whatever department have achieved.
BASSA are trying to force all the other Unions in BA to negotiate for their OWN Union and the BASSA members ONLY. If a corporate agreement is called for I would strenuously resist it. Let BASSA fight their own corner. They don't need the rest of us, as BASSA have stated THEY are BA and thus the rest of us are ancillary.