Oh for heaven's sake! This old chestnut again.
Dan, Dan, I'm sorry you're disillusioned but...The only people who are able to make a Union work are YOU, the workers. Your company council IS BALPA if you are recognised, and I'm sorry but a local failure of BALPA is usually the failure of the local members to help themselves. There is no superior force that is deployed from BALPA HQ, you may be able to get negotiators etc but if YOU don't organise it nothing will happen. Why is that a surprise?
It is utter rubbish to say BALPA has no interest in non BA, total cobblers. Perhaps BA's successes with BALPA result from the unusual level of solidarity thet BA pilots show, in contrast with most other companies that struggle to reach the critical mass to reach recognition due to pilot apathy. Own goal, sorree!
You, yes you pilots are BALPA, no one else. It's not called the "British Airline Pilots Nannying Association", is it? Yet that seems to be the expectation of many. Fees too high? Tell that to the Kegworth crew.
Come on folks, BALPA is first and foremost the best and only legal insurance you can have if it all goes horibly pear-shaped, and secondly will offer you the advantage of skilled negotiators and legal advice on less contentious industrial relations matters if you only bother to all pll together to organise it. Act alone as most pilots do and, well, fall by the wayside alone. And serve you right.
Can't afford it, one percent? Come off it!