BALPA at British European

[informationage]

Just been informed that BALPA now have recognition at British European.

[tilii]

Yes? And so what? Is this cause for great rejoicing? What is it to do for its members there?

[xyz_pilot]

tilii

Its more a case of what the Balpa members want to do for them selves. Balpa at a national level will help BUT its the members in a company working together that achieve progress.

[cbavoidance]

Big deal.....BALPA schmalpa, who needs em,
They only look after their own, i.e. BA pilots and cheap airlines who employ ex-BA pilots...e.g. GO, as in GOing bust...
I once needed BALPA's help with a legitimate WORK related grievance..."No money to litigate that" I was told. However, some BA pilot "busted" by the CAA for dangerous low flying in his Cessna 172, was represented by the full weight of the BALPA legal team, financed of course by the fools who pay BALPA membership. BALPA even had the afront to publish how they "vigerously defended" this particular case of low flying in The Log.
If you think BALPA will help you when you really need it, you are kidding yourselves.

[Raw Data]

Funny that, they helped me when I really needed it, and I worked for a company that had only one aircraft at the time. Oh, they won a fair wodge of money for me, too.

One thing they won't do is take on shaky cases, or get involved where the pilot is clearly in the wrong. This naturally drains a very limited resource (ie money for litigation) for no good reason. They (quite rightly) believe that it pointless spending a scarce resource on an already lost cause.

One detects a characteristic bitterness in the above post...

[tilii]

The point I tried to make (very poorly, I admit) above is that it will be real news, worthy of great rejoicing among my peers, when we read a post as follows: "Just been informed that @@@@@ (insert chosen airline) now has recognition at BALPA."And preferably in circumstances where the absence of such 'recognition' means that said airline is without pilots and thus cannot operate. :D :D :D

[The Guvnor]

I thought BA and its offshoots were all 'recognised by BALPA'?

Dunno about anyone else though!

It will be interesting to see how the IPF shapes up...

[Roadtrip]

Does British Euro BALPA allow flagging out of their jobs, like they do at BA?

[Norman Stanley Fletcher]

My airline has also recently achieved BALPA membership. It is a difficult issue to know the truth about. I am personally not really convinced that BALPA have enough teeth to bite when it matters. I had been thinking of not renewing my membership, but I know that it is ultimately good for the whole industry if many pilots are members of a union. I am also aware of individual cases of injustice where BALPA have done very well in representing its members in addressing grievances.

The question stands though - is it really worthwhile having BALPA representing you? What do other older and wiser colleagues think?

[ 05 September 2001: Message edited by: Norman Stanley Fletcher ]

[Symbian]

BALPA are only interested in their member numbers and what they can get out of it for them selves believe me.

They have just made a complete farce of our pay deal (at a very well known UK charter outfit) and they will be of no help what so ever. So save your selves 1% and tell them to sling their hook!

You would think I am a complete miserable B??*d from my above ramblings but really I am not, just merely disillusioned
:mad:

[Rocket Ron]

NSF, I'm not older, and certainly not wiser, but BALPA have proved to be a paper tiger where I work.

Our management have avoided meeting with them for almost a whole year.....you'd think they'd be concerned, but not a bit of it - we're not a "prestige airline" you see, so not worthy of their precious time.

I know that "BALPA Bashing" is a popular sport, but from what I've seen of their (lack of) effort at my Company, they seem to be nothing more than a "membership club"! But I'm willing to be proved wrong...