Miss M,
Try looking at the situation from the employers side - just for once!!
The total lack of negotiation (as voted for by bassa members on that very democratic show of hands) means that BA management in their capacity as senior management in a PLC have a legal obligation to do their utmost to ensure that BA continues operations.
BA cabin crew, through their looney union branch, are holding ballot number four to withdraw their labour. There's another sign that this union cannot be trusted not to interfere in the running of the company. BA senior management are reacting to the position that the union put them in and would be deemed to be negligent if the did not do so.
There are always 2 sides to every argument and it is incredibly frustrating to the rest of us that so many cabin crew are unwilling to look at both sides of the argument.
BA have been incredibly patient throughout this whole saga. As stated above, Untie have by their own very public admission linked this ballot to those that have gone before.
No matter how much I detest some of the really awful antics from some quite nasty people I would prefer that BA do not make martyrs out of the first cabin crew who do not turn up - especially as they will most probably be cannon fodder for the 'brave leaders'....... However, with each passing day BA must be getting closer and closer to taking some VERY heavy action.
The continuous negative conduct of bassa should ensure that there can be no sympathy when the sleeping tiger finally wakens up.