Another SLF view .....
The world turns, times move on and those who try and hold back the march of progress (for good or for ill) ultimately fall under the wheels and will be crushed.
While it is completely understandable that people try to hold onto their 'rights' it is IMO hopefully unrealistic to expect a company to survive and thrive in a commercial marketplace, where part of it's workforce is unable to move on.
I found it quite sad to read Mildly Militant ask the question about at what time the concessions would stop after years of giving things up. I heaved a heavy sigh and immediately thought of the dinosaurs. Change is eternal, every dog has it's day and this particular dog is a dodo. Competition in the market will never stop and to think that other airlines will stop competing with BA is naive and to think that the CC can avoid being affected is doubly so.
The market no longer requires BA legacy salaries to achieve the levels of service achieved by BA legacy staff. These levels of service can be achieved more const effectively and simply paying legacy crew more still does not achieve the level of quality and satisfaction provided by other full service airlines.
So while I respect the rights of any union member to vote as such, I am saddened by the blind obedience to the cause displayed by rational individuals. As has been asked many times, it is still unclear what the union think can be achieved by a strike. The war is lost, the battle is over - all that is left is a pointless suicide charge by the the remnants of the losing side. If the union had been smart, they would have negotiated early on and achieved some slowing of the march of progress. Instead they handed the result to BA on a plate, with bows on.
I will continue to fly BA for short and medium haul.
I do this as BA are currently price competitive for where i fly, but apart from Ryanair whom I abhor, if BA lose this price edge, I will go elsewhere.