Kaptin M
BA is an equity financed company. The management is directly appointed by the shareholders (the people who own the company) in order to maximise value and, in the current airline climate, to make sure the company doesn't go down the pan. Performance incentives to management mean that if they increase shareholder value they get rewarded for it. As long as we live in a capitalist society this will be the case.
The airline industry is not in good shape at the moment and costs need to be cut, a mature approach by the ground staff would be to accept that this is the case and realise that the cost-cutting is necessary in order to safeguard their jobs. If they feel some of the conditions to be unacceptable then they should negotiate in a mature way through their appointed union (who will be much better at it!).
Simply walking out and leaving so many customers in the lurch is irresponsible and childish and will ultimately be costly to them I am sure.
(p.s, i'm not actually rod eddington, i just admire the guy. i have absolutely no connection to BA)