WW,
Just a point of order here: I think HS is referring to BASSA reps rather than BASSA members. It's only really the reps that have steered BASSA members in the wrong direction and got everyone in the mess they now find themselves.
Aporrizaje:
I'm sorry if this sounds patronising, it is not intended to be but a little history lesson is in order here:
The "deal" BA pilots are on is a much worse deal than the one we had 11 years ago. It all started with a "new" pay deal in 2001. The state of affairs pre-2001 was such that many F/O's were taking home more than new Captains: they could do 3 Naritas in a month and be taking home more than a paypoint 20 Captain. Indeed the most senior F/O's were better off remaining in the RHS than gaining commands, unless they had 3 years left to serve, in which the pension consideration came into play. The allowances for the premium trips were spread out and the allowances were flattened across the whole network and put on basic wages. The old system meant that by hour 12 of the flight F/O's were getting some £120/hr FHR. Thus a NRT or SIN was worth well over £1,000 a trip.
There were many, especially yr 7-8 F/O's who, having languished at the bottom of their respective fleet's lists and were just beginning to draw the honey from the system, were robbed of the fruits of their longevity by this change.
Unfortunately, the much vaunted advantage of this new deal was to prove a double edged sword. The advantage was that people could now bid for lifestyle instead of money. What they didn't realise at the time was that, having no advantage to flying to Japan (and other otherwise unpopular destinations) over weekends and public holidays, people did just that: they bid for lifestyle and created huge work coverage problems for BA. They were able to cover the trips mostly, but at a huge cost of 1.5 x the trip's worth (including flying hours - to give you an idea: a 10 yr F/O's Hourly rate is about £70 x 1.5 x (flying hours) eg SIN = 25hrs = £2625 + allowances!! A tidy sum!!). Draft at BA got to unacceptable levels and lives were constantly disrupted because BA didn't want to employ anyone else.
There is a lot more to that story but it lead to a review of work coverage and many changes were implemented because BA (quite reasonably, I suppose) wanted to get the 1043 credit hours worth that we are contracted to provide out of us (that includes hours credited for leave etc). The changes were quite drastic and many will tell you that on, for instance, a part time contract of around 75%, they are working as hard today as they were 7 years ago, for LESS money!
Our latest work coverage re-jig and the BMI absorbtion saw 1/2 hour shaved off our Sch 10 which is the framework of our agreement and the consequence of that has been 3 man HKG/RIO/GRU/BKK which may not sound like much, until, that is, you have to endure one having enjoyed a 4 man one. The return from those places in the winter can extend beyond 13 hours!
Most of the changes were not greeted enthusiastically at the time but everything was explained to us in a manner we could understand. As I have said many times I was not convinced and the predictions offered as alternatives always seemed to me to be pandering to management. My life seemed to get more and more difficult as a result.
Posterity has proved me wrong and has vindicated Il Duce and his cohorts. Il duce, for all his faults has an incredible capacity for understanding and balancing facts and reality which many of us do not possess. He also works very hard on our behalf at the expense of family and life in general.
What I'm trying to say, Aporrizaje, (and BASSA) is that if you wanted IAG/BA to have offered you what looks like a great deal, you would have had to begin some 10 years ago. And before anyone suggests it, I am not for one moment suggesting that BA pilots have saved the company but we have made it so that we are not part of the problem, hence why they don't come after us in the same manner. It's no good after 10 years of decline in the industry and no change in your T&C's to say, "Oh no, we want that deal there", you have to recoup 10 years worth of savings as well; the 10 years worth you weren't willing to give up when you were in a stronger position.
When they come to us, they come knowing that they have to get their story straight, they know the BACC will see through lies and deceptions (because they know their business) but most importantly, they know that if there is a problem, the company council will work with them.
Last edited by relightengine; 17th Jan 2013 at 10:10.