Wonker,
You have been peddling this tripe for months since the demise of the BASSA action. Putting a 'I'm only trying to explain to you' condecending tone on it doesn't change the fact that you haven't a clue what you're talking about.
Your bluster during the cabin crew dispute is totally at odds with your current' reasoned' approach, enough so to make you seem a little irrelevant.
The position that YOUR previous department (by your own admission on the Cabin Crew thread) found itself in was that there had been no movement with the times, no rationalisation of working procedures, no modernisation of payment ideals etc. They left themselves so exposed when the facade of Union 'protection' (protection only for the very highest to get the very best paid trips) crumbled away.
The pilot workforce has constantly evolved over the years to ensure a competitive product for the company. The BACC is quite happy for the pilots to be benchmarked as we know we are competitive in the real world. Also, due to close working relationships with the company at a high level, any changes, proposed or implemented are done so at a joint level between the company and the BACC. We, as a group, are more than willing to change and evolve as time goes by, our past has shown such. But, of course, you're a 'manager' this week so that would all be obvious to you.
There's lots more meat to be taken off the bone before we're well and truly competitive
Very true, which is why the IAG head team have been spending so much time in Spain the past few months where the situation is 'difficult'. Also the number of personnel per airframe is disproportionate in IAG compared to some other carriers. What is interesting in this number is that the number of 'flying personell' e.g. Flight crew and Cabin crew are the same, it is back office staff and some ground staff that are excessive.
If you want to fly an airline safely you need safe hands at the controls of the aircraft. Many say that customers vote to the cheapest ticket. In many cases this is true but, in the case of corporate companies and high value employee's the Airlines safety record and professionalism is also a major concern. BA is one of these, just as Corporate Customer Services in Cranebank next time you are there. Don't believe me? Then why has Siemens banned all corporate travel within Europe on RYR? Not because of poor decisions from the crew in fuel policy but because of the abhorrent management processes that forced those crews into making those fuel choices in the first place.
Very few airlines can afford a hull loss.
Want to trim the meat off? Bring down the ridiculously high number of inneffective and nebulous, blood sucking managers.