Unfortunately in the real world conciliation and arbitration isn't something BA are going to waste time on. They don't need to. In the real world BA will say "Fine, we'll go on without you", rebrand bmi as BA Express and cease all recruitment into mainline. Then the likes of ALLOW et al will get a letter saying they are in the hold pool and these are the new BA Express pay scales. Conciliation and arbitration only happen when both sides have leverage. In this exchange one side has all the power.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see all new joiners on 24 point payscales with a nice DB pension and a welcoming pat on the head from the Chief Pilot. Unfortunately the opposition is eating our lunch, the government is trying to tax us out of business, social legislation is playing having with staff costs across the company, we've a ruthless, cunningly constructed and remote holding company pulling the strings and nobody, but nobody, has yet come up with a contstructive way to stop it other than saying "Duh, go on strike stupid". I think BA staff are probably the most experienced airline staff in the UK in terms of industrial action right now so we won't be taking any lectures on what that entails.
@ALLOW - yes, the offer is different from that which you applied for. You have to make the decision on whether you still want to apply or not based on the new reality, but let me explain something to you. BA only gets worse, not better. First there were APS pensions, 400 hrs flying per year and retirement at 50. Then came NAPS1, 500 hrs and retirement at 55. Then NAPS 2, 700 hrs, 55. Now BARP, 900 hours, retirement at 60+. Then something else will come along and we'll be working til 70 and flying 1000 hours. If you join BA, all the way along that road you'll be taking hits, a little here, a little there, pensions down, productivity up, pay cuts here and there. Bar your increments and a promotion there is no up. Only down. So when you get your first hit, then your second, then you third, you won't be inclined to suddenly make a huge sacrifice for someone who has yet to join because you know full wel' there'll be plenty more opportunities to 'give' just around the corner. Yep, it'll happen to you too. And I'll throw in one more thing for free. I'll have a guess that you've never been involved in any sort of industrial action, because if you had you'd know it's not quite as easy as saying "We outnumber you so we're going to steal all your beans", because by the time you are in a position to steal the beans of the guy above you, there'll be lots of guys below you who are in a position to steal your beans too, and management won't give a damn. That my friend is the way of the airline industry today.
Last edited by Hand Solo; 5th Jan 2012 at 19:24.