MissM and PC767 you both make articulate posts, which makes it all the more astounding that you have systematically failed to question the union that you are PAYING to represent you.
I was a long-standing Unite member but when I realised I was paying Unite for nothing, I resigned. The fact that you still pay them despite their incompetence, amazes me. The facts are:
Initially all unions, from all departments, were told to come up with the cost-savings themselves. Ask any ground staff, pilot, engineer, or any other collective bargaining group. So any group of cabin crew with a modicum of intelligence could have sat in a room and devised numerous ways to save money that would have cost us next to nothing. Instead the BASSA reps (and I use that explicitly) said NO.
When BA tried to point out the dire state of the finances and give them access to the accounts to see for themselves, they said NO.
When they had the opportunity to represent our views, they PULLED OUT of the facilities agreement. How can they possibly represent us, when they are not even attending the meetings?
You both indicate that you don't know who pulled out of the facilities agreement, and that demonstrates that you have not bothered to find out the full facts of the case. It was the BASSA reps. Ask Unite - they were furious about it. I met a senior Unite official on a flight a while back and he admitted that.
The thing that makes my blood boil is that all of this has been so unnecessary - MF, strikes, the atmosphere at work, strikers v. non-strikers, loss of ST, treatment of crew who still have ST, pay freeze, all the appalling behaviour and subsequent disciplinaries, the list goes on. We could have had control over our own destiny, but the BASSA reps simply didn't have the intelligence or the competence to be able to do it. We were handed it on a plate and they simply gave it all away.
But don't take my word for it - perhaps Litebulbs would be so kind to verify the facts and give the honest answer on here as to when the BASSA reps gave notice on the facilities agreeement? After all, it must be minuted somewhere. Or perhaps MissM and/or PC767 will show that they can do more than simply tow the BASSA line and will ask the BASSA reps for the minutes of the meetings?
Maybe then Miss M and PC767, you will finally see just how much we have all lost through this INCOMPETENT union.
I am BA cabin crew and this is my own viewpoint and not that of BA.