Hi Miss M,
I
am very proud of backing BA and I intend to do so again if the ballot calls for a strike; moreover I make sure that all my colleagues know that I came to work because I would be embarrassed for them to think I was not able to make the right decision. It wasn't even a difficult decision. I left BASSA in 1997 because they demonstrated that they had not a clue how to conduct themselves in negotiations and I joined CC89/Amicus when they got on and negotiated the long-range agreement and showed they did have the necessary acumen to represent their members. Sadly the current Amicus regime has not lived up to this trust and I could not remain with them either.
I do not consider any of us who backed BA as responsible for the birth of mixed-fleet. The responsibility lies firmly with that bunch of cowboys who were so focused on playground "we're not sitting at the same table as him cos we don't like him" that they forgot that they were being paid by their members to get the best deal for them. Every single proposal from BASSA has included mixed-fleet because it is easier to sell-out new crew (the same way they did with LGW) than it is to negotiate a responsible compromise that will allow us all to keep our livelihoods. Let's face it, our union is led by the crew equivalent of Colonel Gaddafi with about as much credibility!
I hope, one day, that there will be a union we can be proud of, with reps we can trust, with accounts that can bear scrutiny and who will negotiate on our behalf with no regard for their personal issues. Until that time I will be backing the company who has paid my wages, who has given me a wonderful career and who has shown that it can be trusted!
Thanks for asking though!
Ottergirl
ps. You may feel you can be easily replaced by VCCs but I make sure I'm too good at what I do to be replaced by a volunteer!