Possible Way to Resolution
It strikes me that both BA's and the Union's most important wishes are not incompatible, indeed they may even be complementary, such that with a modicum of maturity this matter could be resolved.
BA: Wants the Union to accept that it should control its IFCE operations.
Unite: Wants protection against erosion of its hard-fought Ts&Cs in the face of the emergent MF.
BA has never said it won't, and has indeed currently offered to, protect all LHR WW CC's Ts&Cs for as long as CC choose to remain employed at BA. So this is not an issue.
Is the Union prepared to accept an agreement with language stating it recognises (and respects even!) BA's right to manage its own operations, while listening to mature and constructive Union recommendations, with the joint focus on improving the customer experience while minimising the costs (essentially the direction KW is trying to take)?
If the Union can see its way to the above mature and colloborative relationship then the cost savings achieved by BA being able to wind-down its defensive VCC program alone, when combined with skillful negotiation, could have BA mangement eating out of its hands! The VCC programme would likely wind itself down anyway as the number of employees prepared to volunteer to work against such a reasonably behaving CC workforce would fall to zero very quickly!
Last edited by AV Flyer; 3rd Apr 2011 at 13:34.