Ron
When the company announced closure of NAPS to all new entrants, the pilots were up in arms! People wanted to strike, but BALPA told us it would be illegal to strike when the company had not even recruited a single pilot on the lesser terms and conditions. There were no pilots recruited for many years. Meanwhile lots of other employees were recruited into BARP. Eventually the first BARP pilot was recruited. I cannot remember for sure whether a ballot was actually issued, but I think one was, and BALPA recommended we just accept it. Ballots always go the way BALPA recommends because too many people cannot be bothered looking at the facts and thinking about them. They consider their BALPA subscriptions to be a means to offload that hassle, and as a result, BALPA have way too much power. The reps always say we the pilots are BALPA, but it is not true because the majority always vote the way they are recommended to vote. There is no point in ever actually having the vote really. So BALPA blame the pilots because they are BALPA, and at the same time, BALPA pretty much always recommends accepting the deal however bad it is.
Open skies had everyone marching down the Bath road and building up strike funds because that is what BALPA recommended. It turned out that was the wrong fight and BALPA are just too scared to stand up to anything now. I do not blame them for being afraid because BA/IAG are a formidable opponent. However, that fear has rendered them useless. The pilots pay their fees and live under the illusion that they will be protected if they cock up, and that their terms and conditions will be protected as much as possible. As I say - it is all just an illusion.