As I see it, as soon as BASSA members vote in agreement with the new deal, DH has no option but to resign immediately. He has only held on to the post in BASSA, as a non BA employee, only because the branch was in dispute with BA.
This will then leave someone else in charge to wrap up BASSA, put the cat out, and let the new single branch be established. As this will take some time to do, I cannot see how DH could cling on to power for that long, in hope of continuing his authority?
Well of course there's now a ballot to be organised (perhaps also double checking eligibility to vote) not to mention the time for the ballot (maybe extended to ensure everyone has plenty of time in the interests of democracy
). No doubt the "rules" allow DH to stay in post until a formal Yes vote is declared.
A vote would also need to be made (I would imagine) to establish a branch secretary for the new branch. Not sure of DH's chances here if he did decide to stand... I would think that the ex-CC89 members and the non-strikers would vote for someone else?
Given the establishment of a completely new branch, with a new constitution etc. etc., I'm sure there's flexibility somewhere along the line to keep DH in charge to manage the transition especially since the branch will have new rules.
As DH will obviously want to dot the i's and cross the t's all this might take until DH is due to retire anyway! I believe I've seen October mentioned in the past. The fact that certain CC benefits such as ST might be delayed is neither here nor there.
It will be interesting to see if DH acts in an honorable way, and stands down, to let things within BA move on, or whether he clings on to power to until the last day...
Perhaps I'm unduly cynical but I suspect that 'honorable' may not the description used.
All IMHO of course.