I think it is easy to respect a principled stand even when one strongly disagrees with the reasons for such a stand. It is nearly always possible to respect that someone can look at the same situation and reach a different view point. One can admire Gordon Brown for doing what he believed was the right thing to do even if in one's heart you know he was wrong. The same can be said of David Cameron at the moment. Acting respectably out of a genuine belief is entirely admirable.
However, this has not been a reasonable and principled stand based upon examination of the data. Resolutions such as no negotiation, an outright refusal to examine the books in order to judge the financial situation and make a judgement, the use of tactics like trying to smear any dissent with the use of porn sites, the democratic approach of having a ballot and then deciding that anyone who made a democratic decision to vote against IA (NB - not to strike break or even to fail to respect a democratic ballot but merely to have the temerity to not be dictated to by DH), the leadership suspending the democratic process on a show of hands by a tiny proportion of the union, thereby illicitly maintaining their grip on power all lead to a simple conclusion - this IS NOT a principled stand. There is nothing admirable or principled in the BASSA leadership and how they have behaved.
I would be wary of calling the leadership of BASSA comrades, the rank and file are worthy of that name, but the leadership have behaved like the leaders of some tinpot government ensuring their power and wealth remain unsullied by the screaming masses. They do not merit our detached admiration for fighting the good fight, the conduct of this dispute by BASSA has been truly appalling. Having a dispute with an employer even including IA does not warrant such behaviour.