MPN11
However, I happily accept [with some reservations] the right for workers to fight for their T&Cs. The peculiarity here is that extant T&Cs are being assured, so the Union is fighting for the T&Cs of people who haven't even joined BA yet. Bizarre?
Not bizarre, just good old fashioned power politics.
- Keep the rates high to attract new recruits to the Union
- They will then be glad of the Union and see that it is working for them
- Higher rates keep the Union of more critical importance to the Company
- Higher rates keep the Union in more money
- That makes the Union reps of more importance
The REALLY stupid thing is that - the Union doesn't have to do all that.
1) Unions became stronger, correcting the genuine imbalance between employer and employee. Unfortunately, the pendulum then swung too far (as it always does in human affairs!) and the Union becomes as wedded to their privileges as did the bosses in decades gone by.
2) The German unions make sure that they protest prominently but they always ensure that they settle. They try not to waste their members money on strikes that - if won - come out revenue neutral, or worse. We had many UK strikes in the 70s/80s where employees 'won' but lost on the money and took two or more years to get back to where they were.
I think I'll put the kettle on ...