View Full Version : BA Cabin Crew strikes are on the cards
chrissw
14th Dec 2016, 13:42
I'm not sure if this is in the right forum, but no doubt the mods will move it as they see fit. In any case, if this happens it will affect a potentially large number of SLF:
British Airways cabin crew to strike - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38319538)
Sleeping in their cars because they can't afford the petrol to drive home? Surely that can't be a common occurrence?
fincastle84
14th Dec 2016, 15:55
Here we go again, Unite strikes again. Fortunately mixed fleet only make up a reasonably small % of cabin crew.
Both Unite & the mixed fleet crew members have been happy with the terms & conditions for several years so why strike now?
Surely it couldn't be anything to do with left wingers cooperating with Aslef etc to cause a "Winter of Discontecnt"??
Basil
15th Dec 2016, 08:58
Surely it couldn't be anything to do with left wingers cooperating with Aslef etc to cause a "Winter of Discontecnt"??
Could be a bit of that but Mixed Fleet is not at all well paid.
RedhillPhil
15th Dec 2016, 09:18
How much is "not at all well paid"?
HZ123
15th Dec 2016, 09:28
Aren't many many jobs "not at all well paid"?
KelvinD
15th Dec 2016, 09:39
The BBC article tells us "just over £12,000" plus £3.00 per hour flying pay.
Metro man
15th Dec 2016, 10:25
But it's the perfect opportunity for the girls to marry a pilot and be set for life.
chrissw
15th Dec 2016, 10:29
OK, so factoring in the alleged £3/hour flying pay, your gross income might be about £18,000 per year.
I personally don't think that could be called "well paid," considering the responsibilities, requirements and what you have to put up with day by day.
I know I would have trouble keeping body and soul together on such a salary. Perhaps I'm just fortunate though. (No irony intended).
I think to claim that Unite have been "happy" for several years is not a reasonable or logical conclusion. There comes a time when matters become intolerable. To take the nuclear option of striking has to remain a last resort rather than it being the very first thing that CC do. I'm sure they are quite aware that every open job vacancy even for mixed fleet is massively oversubscribed, which does nothing for the strength of their position even when considering a strike.
I'm sure they are quite aware that every open job vacancy even for mixed fleet is massively oversubscribed, which does nothing for the strength of their position even when considering a strike.
What's the actual turnover of staff though. Maybe publicising those figures would drastically bring the oversubscription down.
Basil
15th Dec 2016, 17:09
Mixed Fleet (https://jobs.ba.com/jobs/vacancy/cabin-crew-london-heathrow---mixed-fleet-0466/484/description/)
As Mixed Fleet Cabin Crew you will have the potential to earn, on average, a reward package of between £21,000 and £25,000 per annum. This comprises of a starting salary of £12,192 per annum, an hourly payment when you are flying, bonuses for achieving your performance targets and commission for Inflight Retail sales. Annual leave starting at 30 days per year rising to 34 days per year.
Detailed job description .pdf (https://jobs.ba.com/jobs/vacancy/cabin-crew-london-heathrow---mixed-fleet-0466/484/description/ajaxaction/downloadfile/?id=228347&pagestamp=f2b40395-3440-41e2-a8de-bbd0ce52533e)
Anyone know if the £3/hr flying pay is to cover food or is food now inclusive at the hotel?
I gave up on BA some years ago. But this is just another reason to avoid them.
easyflyer83
16th Dec 2016, 22:38
We initially lost quite a lot of crew to mixed fleet but that was stemmed once crew realised it wasn't such a great deal. Ironic that joe public actually think that low cost crew earn very little which is far from the truth. Not to mentioned with little nightstopping their pay is pure remuneration and not expenses. The fact that joe public automatically believes that BA crew are all well paid won't help their cause. That said, the mixed fleet contract isn't great and something needs to be done to address the issue.
Your contempt for the customers is clear, but how about putting some sourced numbers on those claims?
It has to be said that in any situation where thousands of people ARE banging on the door for those jobs on the current terms, the case for forcing an improvement can't be seen as a strong one...
Basil
19th Dec 2016, 09:55
Deviating slightly; at least one union leaves no doubt about motivation:
RMT President: . . the key aim was to overthrow capitalism and bring down the Tory government. 'If we all spit together,' he said, 'we can drown the bastards.'
DaveReidUK
19th Dec 2016, 10:20
Not a single one of them was forced to apply let alone accept the offer. If noone applies for these jobs the salary will go up. They do and it hasn't.
Have you been reading the Mike Ashley Book of Industrial Relations ?
KelvinD
19th Dec 2016, 11:05
Not a single one of them was forced to apply let alone accept the offer
Well, there can be grounds for saying that. On the other hand one can say that people applied based, in part, that they had £25,000 salaries dangled in front of them. Then they found £12,500 was more typical.
If they feel they can command more, is anyone forcing them to stay?
The roles were advertised as £21-25,000 pa.
This is incredibly inaccurate and untrue. £10-12,000 pa. is more commonplace and hence the issue.
How would you feel if you applied for a job advertising £30,000 but as soon as you start you find they're only paying £20,000. Quite a substantial difference for anyone. :cool:
Andy_S
19th Dec 2016, 16:15
One would have thought that the applicants would have read the contract conditions before they signed on the dotted line.
PAXboy
23rd Dec 2016, 00:00
BA crew Christmas strikes suspended - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38411683)
HZ123
23rd Dec 2016, 03:18
I do not know where the sum of £30K came into it. I was involved in MF induction days and pay figures were not discussed. Whatever, the individuals were well aware that the starting figure was £12K, otherwise they would not have signed a contract!
PAXboy
4th Jan 2017, 01:45
Dated 3rd January
British Airways cabin crew to go on strike next week in pay dispute
About 2,500 members of BA’s Heathrow-based mixed fleet to walkout for 48 hours from Tuesday after rejecting latest offer
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/03/british-airways-cabin-crew-to-go-on-strike-next-week-in-pay-dispute
According to media reports WW's total compensation in 2015 was €8.8 million. In round numbers that's £7,500,000.
At the the advertised salary of £21/25,000 p.a. for mixed fleet Mr Walsh makes 357/300 times more. At the £10-12 more commonplace salary he makes 750/625 times more.
Does anyone deserve to be paid 750 times, or even 300 times as much as a front line employees?
Put in the context of Fat Cat Wednesday (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38498003) Mr. Walsh makes £2076 an hour (301 days at 12 hrs). It takes him 13 1/2 hours to earn the annual average U.K. salary of £28,200. Makes him a Fat Cat early Tuesday morning.
Something terribly wrong with these numbers. He has already earned more this year than many of his employees will earn in a year.
When you get paid 1 million a week for kicking a football around for 90 minutes, nothing makes sense anymore!
Heathrow Harry
4th Jan 2017, 13:08
yeah but they bring pleasure to quite a lot of people whereas WW ...................... doesn't.....
The Shareholders may well disagree, but I take your point.
Hotel Tango
5th Jan 2017, 13:35
yeah but they bring pleasure to quite a lot of people
I must be watching the wrong games then ;)
PAXboy
5th Jan 2017, 18:21
ZET states the problem. in modern society, the shareholders come before the customers in priority. I fully appreciate how the stock market works (I have worked in The City of London) but the old adage 'look after the customer and the customer will look after you' is long gone.
To be fair, that is also the customer's fault. As customers have proved that they will change carrier for a £10 reduction - there is no incentive to keep them.
As customers we have also learnt to expect and accept complacency in the service and the product. We can pay easily £20000-£30000 for a motor vehicle, which should it go wrong most distributors/garages will spend more time fobbing you off than sorting it. When they do it is not unlike getting an appointment with your GP!