I don't think talking/arguing about BASSA/BALPA/BA/OPENSKIES is threadcreep. As I said before, there are many similarities between all these things and SEPLA, if they came down from their precariously lofty position, might learn a thing or two about what it means to take Willy Walsh on.
He has been CEO of two major airlines and is head of a company which owns two. He knows his onions, so when you go into a boardroom with him, you'd better know yours or he will chew you up and spit you out. His mandate is to keep the company of which he is the figurehead alive and, as others have stated, make it a company people want to invest in. That is his job and he does it well whether you like his methods or not. In the end, all I know after having given up many things from the simple cheeseboard to a 4th man on my HKG/GRU and 2 days of leave a year as well as a whole host of other work coverage details too numerous to mention and that have made my life that little bit harder in BA, is that I am working for a company I am almost confident (notwhistanding natural disasters and other external influences) is fit for the next 20 years. If SEPLA want this too (and that is THEIR mandate whether they choose to accept it or not) then they should work on those onions.
On the subject of Openskies. I have no problem talking about it. Actually, looking at it in the cold light of day the "debacle", as you call it, has been an unexpected blessing in disguise. Had we not been through the humiliation of it at the time (from which BALPA learned much, by the way) then we might have gone down the route of facing up to BA on the BMI issue which would have cost us much more dearly in the long run. As it is, we managed to work with BA and get a satisfactory outcome for all concerned. We now do not have an IB.EX equivalent in LHR and BMI are on our terms and conditions.....or at least the latest T&C's available to new entrants.....oh, and did I mention that BA are still recruiting.
lastly, COUGH,
I will answer that question for Count: I can't remember what that deal included because our union didn't publicise, let alone detail the implications of it, very well thus allowing us to make our own minds up. There was little or no attempt to rationalise or explain what the alternatives might be because BASSA didn't really know themselves.
Last edited by relightengine; 8th Jan 2013 at 05:09.