Count whatever your name is, surely the role of a GOOD trade union during pay discussions is to squeeze as much as they can without damaging the hand that feeds.
So with management doing all they can to keep costs down (fair enough) and the union squeezing to get as much as possible (fair enough), isn't the likely outcome when a GOOD trade union is involved, is a little extra here and there?
Now I have no idea what the virgin pilots think about this offer but isn't just possible that BALPA, under the circumstances, have in fact done a bloody good job.
Bernouli. There is no lack of integritiy by VS management, their position has been constant. There is nothing to negotiate. They are doing what any good management should do and that is to keep costs down.
In an article in yesterday's Times (8/7/11), it looks like BALPA has rolled over again. The 'final' VS offer they are recommending is hardly any different to that when Virgin pilots first voted for industrial action. What a victory!!
The only tweaking being flexible rosters, profit share (how would you know if VS made a profit anyway?) and the 'promise' of some overtime. Hardly a collapse of the VS management position, but more of a face saving deal for BALPA and VS pilots, whose sphincters are now trembling at the prospect of industrial action.
Looks like the "Proud" VS pilots have no stomach for seeing through this spat, in order to gain a meaningful increase to their pay.