Ah yes, and just when I thought I may be questioning myself, up comes Mr. Holley with another gem. I just knew it was only a matter of time before Egypt was mentioned. Must say this is starting to get funny, except DH is sadly, very serious
Ballot cancelled, feeling downhearted?
Most of you, by now will have received a letter from Lenny McCluskey, confirming that our current ballot has had to be cancelled due to BA’s leadership’s preference for yet more “dirty tricks” style tactics, rather than simply listening to their own staff
So are we downhearted, full of doom and gloom? Errr ... actually no, not in the slightest, and neither should you be; there is absolutely no need.
This is a different phase of the dispute that we are now in, it’s no longer about rushing into strike dates; it is all about sending a message. A message about our pride, our defiance, a message simply saying that despite all their bullying, threats and punishments, we as crew are all still here and our spirit will not be broken.
You no longer need actual strikes to pressure the company - ballots can have the same effect, since they carry the threat of strikes. It would now appear that a simple, well-placed cross on the ballot paper removes some of the need to actually lose money and stand on picket lines. The intransigent British Airway board’s complete lack of willingness to move beyond the tired and already discredited Willy Walsh era is kindly doing the rest for us!
Why? Because every time a ballot is announced - and they will be, on and on until a fair solution has been found - it has the same effect as going on strike. The continued uncertainty keeps passengers away in their droves, and leaves BA a house divided internally, without the morale needed to deliver the top-class service we all want. We simply need to have good, strong ballot results every time, the higher the percentage the better, to keep this pressure on. So go ahead BA legal, congratulate yourselves on your “brilliant” strategy.
Will they injunct us again on our next one?
Of course it’s possible, but all it will mean is that once again, instead of all this being settled long ago, their unimaginative and belligerent approach means our dispute is now entering its second summer. The ongoing uncertainty will now sadly continue to affect bookings for the future... first it will be the busy summer period, if they decide to injunct once again, then it’s Christmas for a third year.
How much longer can a team that calls themselves our “leadership” continue to ignore its own employees - the very people on whom the British Airways brand is built upon - let alone its own customers?
Mr Williams has an opportunity, and indeed a duty, to prove to the world that he is different to his predecessor and will resurrect the good name of British Airways - to make it what it should and can be, not what it has become.
An opportunity to not follow in the footsteps of Gordon Brown when he took over as Prime Minister because he simply become a paler version of what had already gone before. Mr Williams must now show the courage to be different to Walsh, gain the respect of his staff and not be afraid to be seen to be fair.
If he doesn’t then the ballots will continue on and on, because we are never giving up until we get justice.
The people of Egypt showed that if you don’t take your people with you when in power, the people could take your power away.
If we hear nothing positive from Mr Williams expressing an interest in talking, then your new ballot is ready to be sent.
.... Oh, and by the way, this time it will have even more items on it. We will of course need to cover yet more breaches of our agreements that have taken place; they may have thought they had gotten away with those, but they haven’t.
Keep strong, keep together keep calm and carry on; it’s working but most of all keep the faith.