As far as I know Alitalia is still trading. The problem of Alitalia have not been pilots, but overall outdated work practices plus being an unfortunate mid-size network carrier. They followed the same path as similar airlines in Europe like Swiss, Austrian, Brussels, etc by going under the umbrella of one of the big three. But they did not sell out themselves on the way to it.
Not quite correct. Alitalia is trading under a joint AOC held by Air One. Not the same as trading as 'Alitalia' as all contracts were torn up on one day and reissued to all staff on the next stating their new terms and conditions.
in a row, and we went into mediation after one day. Officially we could not strike for LHI due to IA laws, so we requested other things to be negotiated away later on in exchange for SCOPE. We would not just give in without a new scope agreement. The situation was very different as it was hard to justify to apply a German contract to an Italian company. So at the end we got no influence on the contract, but at least a new very clear scope agreement plus the duty for the company to apply the same standards for LHI in selection and training.
Whilst not another country (again IA laws differ) it is not possible to take IA to prevent a company from forming another company with a different AOC under an unbrella holding company. The only option would be to allow said company to form and THEN take IA if the future trading conditions of your company are threatened. It cannot be do on a future premise. By integrating BMI into BA, even with the associated costs involved, it is a ratification of the Scope clause. It will at least give BA pilots a moderately assured (as assured as pilots can get in this industry) future as well as bring some forward stability to BMI crews. The Scope clause only covers BA aircraft operated by BA, not aircraft operated by a subsiduary. IAG has the ability, now, to startup wherever it wishes and we need to be in strong position to prevent that. Allowing BA Express and then retrospectively trying to fight it would be, IMHO, a disaster.
You enhance your own career by new longhaul slots at the cost of BMI pilots who have to join the line behind you. You roll over to Willy without getting anything in return in terms of new scope clause.
As averse to DLH who wouldn't push investment into something they were 'verpflichtet' to purchase and have been trying to offload since the were required to buy it. TUPE must cover both sets of employees and this initial decision is there to decide which way they will go. If BMI isn't integrated there might be no reason why IAG don't lease out the slots for later use and grind BMI into obscurity, they may run BMI as BA Express and rape the Terms and Conditions. Whichever way they jump I'm sure that the working practices will not be for the better, looking at the past BMI performance, led by an inadequate management, they have to improve.
Integrating BMI will give job stability, it will give future employment protection through TUPE and SCOPE. It will allow for continued career progression and bring benefits from roster stability and choice. The method of integration will then be discussed under the 90 day Tupe consultation. I fail to see what 'new scope' clause you elude to? All IAG aircraft to be flown out of LHR by BA Mainline???? Pie in the Sky.
Once concessions have been granted, when the company and the economic circumstances are on the increase, as a cohesive group of BA and former BMI pilots operating the majority of slots out of LHR, then, only then can we push to recover ground. Now is not the time for BASSA style 'all or nothing' suicide action.