Indeed there are many who don’t read through the whole thread, or dip in from time to time, who are perhaps not as close to the real issues of this dispute.
I can only speculate as to why people like churchinchow feel threatened by reposting pertinent information and links, or indeed others posting in other threads where there is clearly an effort being made to obfuscate and divert attention from pertinent information.
BASSA's hounds now appear to be after me personally, since they are not willing to be transparent:
For too long there has been speculation and hearsay in relation to the strikes, and the time has passed for that.
I was amazed to read some of the posters on here had not seen the representation of Walsh as the Devil which has graced www.uniteba.com for over a year. How on earth is that representation relevant, professional, or reasonable? It’s not, and it’s typical of the bullying behaviour displayed by the thugs (and I use the word advisedly) running BASSA.
Factual arguments, backed up by referenceable documents, preferably from independent sources where possible will help cabin crew and us passengers make up our own minds.
It would seem sensible for BASSA to release its accounts and demonstrate the value £1.5m-£2m of annual subs (do many cc actually know that is the amount they contribute collectively every year?) have delivered to itsmembers for their hard-earned £15/month subscription. There is no allegation of fraud whatsoever. And if salaries have been paid, that’s fine as long as the membership is fine with that, and reckons is has and continues to receive value for money.
Contrary to assertions made elsewhere, I have no “skin in the game” on this dispute – it is a matter for BASSA members to resolve themselves. As has been said, BASSA is bigger than two people, but now is the time to look beyond this dispute, which is to all intents and purposes lost, and on death’s door, to the future and how BASSA can attempt to redefine itself as an organisation with the interests of its membership at its heart, and also an interest in the success of the employer which sustains its membership, and pays its former members’ pensions.
Sadly, many are scared to speak out, ask questions or propose a contrary perspective and I have to say that was I in any way connected to BA I would indeed to intimidated by the past form of BASSA in both its words and actions against those who take an opposing view. That is a sign of weakness, not strength.
This dispute is less and less about BA Cabin Crew, imposition or indeed any contractual negotiations. It is quite clear that there are larger “weird and wondrous” forces now at play in this dispute, including the Socialist Worker’s Party www.socialistworker.co.uk with its anti-capitalist and almost anarchic agenda, and cabin crew are being very dangerously placed in the middle of such toxic organisations.
The week commencing Monday 28th March will be interesting.
We will see the ballot result, which will no doubt be spun as a “stronger” result for BASSA (as even more right-thinking members of the ever-diminishing Union resign, increasing the percentage of “YES” votes), and leave a hardcore militant group determined to strike, without protection, come what may.
We should be formally party to the judgement from Duncan Holley’s Employment Tribunal, though the fact no-one has tweeted that he’s won tells us with some considerable accuracy how that went.
We should also hear more on the Certification Officer’s views on the way in which BASSA administrates itself, initially focussing on its accounts, and perhaps also its internal election of branch officers.
All in all, interesting times, and an opportunity for reflection in the period of calm before the storm as to what Industrial Relations at BA will look like a year from now. Certainly, a great deal of rumour and speculation in the coming week.
For those who have not yet had an opportunity to read the reasons why BASSA has nowehere to go, with much of the (referenced) evidence all in one place, I would refer them to this earlier post:
http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf...ml#post6265674
BASSA don't like that sort of thing, and there is probably a jolly good reason why they don't.