There are actually now four cabin crew fleets at BA. LGW forgotten about again!
25th December 2010 - And So This Is Christmas
It's Christmas time, a time for peace, for reflection and for family and friends. By the nature of our jobs as cabin crew, it can often be none of these things as we often find ourselves hard at work, or away over the holiday period. Two years ago at this time of year, we warned you that a new fleet and with it, a new regime, was coming. A year ago, we were injuncted by a single judge, which prevented our first attempt to resist imposed changes to our agreements. This year, mixed fleet is here and has begun operating our routes. The things that people said would never happen are now a reality. The union offices have been shut down for over a year, many good friends and colleagues face a Christmas with no job to support their families and thousands of us lost huge sums of money and our staff travel.
So what will next year look like? Our struggle for justice is far from over and yet again, we are having a ballot for industrial action over the holiday season. However, the things that we do still have are our dignity, our belief and our friendship; those that have kept the faith know what that means.
We also have the hope that with new leadership will come a new direction.
We would rather have spent the time, even Christmas day itself, in discussions to find a solution; British Airways has yet again refused to do so, they prefer to engineer strikes to prove their effectiveness as a management to a fawning media, than try to solve things for their own staff, yet alone their customers. They will sit back, do nothing and hope for a low vote for industrial action; they will do nothing unless they have to. The only way to convince them that they are wrong, is to show your determination and to use your vote again.
So be it.
We will remain open to talks at any time and will meet any place for meaningful discussion; in the mean time, we need you to help us by providing a strong message, a message that clearly says, "this is not good enough, we will not be treated like this, we are the best cabin crew in the world so start treating us like it, or you will reap what you sow".
WE have hope because of you and the strength that you give us. If Mr.
Walsh is not careful he will leave behind only a legacy of distrust, disillusionment and a fermenting anger. This dispute is far from over, in the mean time.
May you be well,
may you be happy,
may you in live in peace.
Merry Christmas and safe flying to you and your families.
If you do find yourself in a restrained crew party somewhere in the globe, we have provided a take on a Christmas standard for you to enjoy responsibly with friends!
All together now...
* On the first day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
A survey to see what I think.
* On the second day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the third day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the fourth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the fifth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the sixth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the seventh day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Seven pilots laughing,
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the eighth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Eight days without pay,
Seven pilots laughing,
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the ninth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Nine weeks of being skint,
Eight days without pay,
Seven pilots laughing,
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the tenth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Ten crap trips,
Nine weeks of being skint,
Eight days without pay,
Seven pilots laughing,
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the eleventh day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Eleven sacked crew,
Ten crap trips,
Nine weeks of being skint,
Eight days without pay,
Seven pilots laughing,
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.
* On the twelfth day of Christmas, Bill Francis sent to me:
Twelve months of dispute,
Eleven sacked crew,
Ten crap trips,
Nine weeks of being skint,
Eight days without pay,
Seven pilots laughing,
Six ground staff scabbing,
Fi-ve V - C - Cs,
Four managers calling,
Three separate fleets,
Two sacked reps
and a survey to see what I think.