MissM
As you say you have 28 years to go,if you were to retire at 65, I can see that you would be concerned about how your long term future will pan out in the airline industry of today. I hear your fears and understand them, I really do. I am grateful to be older, grayer and nearer retirement, but I know my remaining 10 years may well be far from a smooth ride.
It's a very daunting prospect looking that far into the future, especially when we are in such a volotile business as the airline business.
Not only is aviation competetive in a way it's never been before, but terrorism, environmental issues and the massive growth of the economies of countries we never immagined would rival our own, all make the future of UK/European/US aviation look rather uncertain long term.
That's essentially what all this dispute is about. It's a watershed moment between the old aviation business we've known and loved for all these years and the new one where things will not and cannot be, the same as before.
That's why BA has dug it's heels in and not backed down. It can't afford to.
I just don't think everyone has grasped the emormity of the challenges we face and it's not helped by BASSA belittling it, by it's "It's just so the managers can get their big bonusses" rhetoric, whenever efficiencies are mentioned. It's irresponsible, childish and makes us look like ignorant dimwits.
The only future for BA, is one in which it meets competetive challenge head on and does things in ways differently to the way it did before.
Twenty eight years is a massive time in aviation and NOBODY can have any cast iron gaurantee of their future.
However the best you can do, is do your individual bit to make the company strong and work WITH the Company to find solutions to problems. And hope. And form a plan B.
This does not mean capitulate and agree to everything it wants, but be adult enough to aknowledge the problem and come up with realistic (properly costed) alternatives.
That's BASSA's problem. That sort of relationship is not in it's DNA and until it has a total clear out of it's current leadership, it won't be able to fit the bill.
I will NEVER rejoin Unite, until the candidates for the leadership, in their election blurb write such things as, "... degree in Business and Economics.......determined to build a new constructive working relationship.... promise to tell you the truth about BA's predicament, even if it's something you won't want to hear..." If I read, "fight for your hard won terms and conditions without compromise etc...." then I'll stay out I'm afraid to say, because by sticking to their outdated practices, they are doing their best to HARM my future, not protect it.