BA and Project Columbus III
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BA's Cabin Crew and Pilots and ground staff are up there with the best and contrary to what i read on these forums actually get on very well.There not all perfect but overall they give an excellent service in what is (currently) a premier full service airline.
WWs decision to offer severance to all his management was a clear indication that he has no confidence in his management team and in turn this is being fed down to the lower ranks.
Tough decisions have to be made in this climate but one does have to question his (and his Chairmans) man management skills and the way they go about their business.
Time for a change at the top ?
WWs decision to offer severance to all his management was a clear indication that he has no confidence in his management team and in turn this is being fed down to the lower ranks.
Tough decisions have to be made in this climate but one does have to question his (and his Chairmans) man management skills and the way they go about their business.
Time for a change at the top ?
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I love all this stuff about just putting up with cuts, blah , blah, savings have to be made- take some cuts and then if you don't like it - hang up your cabin bag!!! LOL
This sort of stuff is a joke.
Thirty years of Thatcherite brainwashing- just because the cabin crew want to maintain a standard of living which is well below that of pilots by the way, they have to be insulted and told that the cuts are necessary.
What a load of neo-liberal claptrap.
Bosses exist to make profit for shareholders. That's all. They are the enemy. If possible, they would have us fly for £1 an hour.
But this is not about cabin crew- it's about protecting the rights of everyone to a decent living. That means ALL workers.
If BA promised to pay such and such, you might well have gone out and got a mortgage or paid for school fees etc whatever. Now they turn round and say- oh, we are going to take that away from you, after all the profit you have made for bosses over the years.
This is a DIRECT ATTACK on YOUR life cc - don't forget that for one second.
QUESTION: IF BA made such a huge profit a couple of years ago- why won't they do the same when the recession ends? Will the Ts&Cs then be restored? No. Of course not. What a surprise.....
You must fight all the way this time- this is the end game.
This sort of stuff is a joke.
Thirty years of Thatcherite brainwashing- just because the cabin crew want to maintain a standard of living which is well below that of pilots by the way, they have to be insulted and told that the cuts are necessary.
What a load of neo-liberal claptrap.
Bosses exist to make profit for shareholders. That's all. They are the enemy. If possible, they would have us fly for £1 an hour.
But this is not about cabin crew- it's about protecting the rights of everyone to a decent living. That means ALL workers.
If BA promised to pay such and such, you might well have gone out and got a mortgage or paid for school fees etc whatever. Now they turn round and say- oh, we are going to take that away from you, after all the profit you have made for bosses over the years.
This is a DIRECT ATTACK on YOUR life cc - don't forget that for one second.
QUESTION: IF BA made such a huge profit a couple of years ago- why won't they do the same when the recession ends? Will the Ts&Cs then be restored? No. Of course not. What a surprise.....
You must fight all the way this time- this is the end game.
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stormin norman,
It is, as always, a very vocal minority placarding the more wise majority with disinformation gleaned from misinformation.
As to why flight crew are reading this (BASSA?) forum, well it is quite simple. BASSA are making direct threats against our employer. If we don't get what we want we are going to bring down the company? I have seen better constructed arguments in a junior school playground.
This whole sorry mess smells distinctly of the dying days of the toothless National Union of Miners that led to the death of the industry in the UK.
Personally I do not want to see that happen to my industry and I think that there are a vast amount of CC, FC, loaders, ground handlers, ground staff, managers, checkin stafff etc. etc. etc. who have very little sympathy with the 1500 from BASSA's 'biggest ever meeting'.
Good luck.
It is, as always, a very vocal minority placarding the more wise majority with disinformation gleaned from misinformation.
As to why flight crew are reading this (BASSA?) forum, well it is quite simple. BASSA are making direct threats against our employer. If we don't get what we want we are going to bring down the company? I have seen better constructed arguments in a junior school playground.
This whole sorry mess smells distinctly of the dying days of the toothless National Union of Miners that led to the death of the industry in the UK.
Personally I do not want to see that happen to my industry and I think that there are a vast amount of CC, FC, loaders, ground handlers, ground staff, managers, checkin stafff etc. etc. etc. who have very little sympathy with the 1500 from BASSA's 'biggest ever meeting'.
Good luck.
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Oddly enough, other CC don't find the NEW terms so onerous:
http://www.pprune.org/cabin-crew/368...new-fleet.html
Infact they seem to find the T's & C's above most comparable airlines AFTER the cut.
It takes the text speak skills of a few BASSA die hards to twist the fabric of the economic crisis into a war call to bring the capitalist scum down!!!! (unless we retain our previous working conditions of course).
Sigh
http://www.pprune.org/cabin-crew/368...new-fleet.html
Infact they seem to find the T's & C's above most comparable airlines AFTER the cut.
It takes the text speak skills of a few BASSA die hards to twist the fabric of the economic crisis into a war call to bring the capitalist scum down!!!! (unless we retain our previous working conditions of course).
Sigh
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Mincer's public profile - joined 3 April 2009
So, his communistic views will mean that he of course is not one of the BASSA top-feeding trolls. All his rhetoric about Thatcherism etc - well just remember that Bliar et al have been in power since 1997.
Seriously cabin colleagues, do not underestimate the resolve of Willie Walsh on this fight - he will (and can) put you on notice of contract which will probably result in you all having to re-apply for your jobs on the new contract rather than on a changed old contract. It is time for your 'leaders' in BASSA to demonstrate leadership rather than just whip up a frenzy only to let you down at the end of the day, as has recently been happening.
I have no doubt that as of yesterdays meeting that you all feel elated and buoyed up as to what can be achieved and that all will well. I have news for you all - IT WON'T.
WW is out for a result, you telling him by 1508 votes to 0 that you don't like him/should go/is not a nice little leprechaun will not change anything.
TEMPORARY cuts will not be tolerated by any group - yes it's tough to accept, but that is where we all are. Now tell your reps to represent you and NEGOTIATE the least painful way of delivering the savings before a more painful solution is IMPOSED on you.
So, his communistic views will mean that he of course is not one of the BASSA top-feeding trolls. All his rhetoric about Thatcherism etc - well just remember that Bliar et al have been in power since 1997.
Seriously cabin colleagues, do not underestimate the resolve of Willie Walsh on this fight - he will (and can) put you on notice of contract which will probably result in you all having to re-apply for your jobs on the new contract rather than on a changed old contract. It is time for your 'leaders' in BASSA to demonstrate leadership rather than just whip up a frenzy only to let you down at the end of the day, as has recently been happening.
I have no doubt that as of yesterdays meeting that you all feel elated and buoyed up as to what can be achieved and that all will well. I have news for you all - IT WON'T.
WW is out for a result, you telling him by 1508 votes to 0 that you don't like him/should go/is not a nice little leprechaun will not change anything.
TEMPORARY cuts will not be tolerated by any group - yes it's tough to accept, but that is where we all are. Now tell your reps to represent you and NEGOTIATE the least painful way of delivering the savings before a more painful solution is IMPOSED on you.
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Mincer,
I'm sorry but I don't think even you can follow your own rhetoric???
You harp on about the evils of Thatcherism coupled with the devil known as capitalism yet you insist on holding on to terms and conditions deeply rooted in both of those?
The current CC contract stems back from the day when only the wealthy could fly, they expected silver service in a pre Al Qaeda world and the most luxurious that wealth could buy. To entice people into this working environment the companies used money and perks, two of the corner stones of capitalism.
Now, you state that you despise those two words and they are trying to destroy you without grasping that your current employment, pay and terms and conditions are DIRECTLY A PRODUCT OF THEM.
Before spouting rhetoric you should at least be aware of where it comes from and what it means prior to attempting to foist it onto others in a Trotskyite manner of a union prole.
I'm sorry but I don't think even you can follow your own rhetoric???
You harp on about the evils of Thatcherism coupled with the devil known as capitalism yet you insist on holding on to terms and conditions deeply rooted in both of those?
The current CC contract stems back from the day when only the wealthy could fly, they expected silver service in a pre Al Qaeda world and the most luxurious that wealth could buy. To entice people into this working environment the companies used money and perks, two of the corner stones of capitalism.
Now, you state that you despise those two words and they are trying to destroy you without grasping that your current employment, pay and terms and conditions are DIRECTLY A PRODUCT OF THEM.
Before spouting rhetoric you should at least be aware of where it comes from and what it means prior to attempting to foist it onto others in a Trotskyite manner of a union prole.
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hmmm wonder where wobble works?
Thanks for the effort to inject a touch of armchair academia into this, what on earth Trotsky has to do with it goodness knows.
Neoliberals will destroy your life and others around the world in the name of globalisation and never-ending profit. that's their job.
The key point is:
When BA were making profit then this was not a problem.
Yes, let's take action to ride out the storm and once the good times return, we can go back to the usual Ts & Cs.
Please try not to listen to the management stuff or read the daily newspapers and propaganda which you are fed on a daily basis, try to think for yourself.
Thanks for the effort to inject a touch of armchair academia into this, what on earth Trotsky has to do with it goodness knows.
Neoliberals will destroy your life and others around the world in the name of globalisation and never-ending profit. that's their job.
The key point is:
When BA were making profit then this was not a problem.
Yes, let's take action to ride out the storm and once the good times return, we can go back to the usual Ts & Cs.
Please try not to listen to the management stuff or read the daily newspapers and propaganda which you are fed on a daily basis, try to think for yourself.
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Mincer,
What you fail to grasp in your ramblings is that the disparity between the BA cabin crew and all other cabin crew has been growing larger and larger every year. Many management structures have either not had the balls or the inclination to deal with it.
When the VA CC threatened a strike over T's & C's then the Bearded one quite pointedly told them if they wanted more pay for the same job then go to BA.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with cancer, the longer you ignore it the more insidious and deep rooted it becomes until it reaches a critical point where painful surgery and radical treatment is required.
In your 'lets ride out the bad times and return to the good times when it's over' just doesn't exist any more. BASSA have seen this coming over years and years and, like a petulant child have stuck their collective fingers in their ears and shouted 'na na na' until the nasty man has gone away. Constructive discussion could have had the company at a point by now where all departments were aligned in contract instead of a big sore thumb sticking up. Even the other threads on this board are saying they will work under the new T's & C's. LGW already do. It is just a minority of you can't see how well you've milked your hated 'neo liberal' machine.
Wake up and smell the coffee. WW will dispense 90 days no longer required on your old contract. Perfectly legal. If you wish to return to work then sign the new contract. It could have been so different.
Instead of your 'don't listen' approach, maybe you ought to have a look at the real world from over the parapet of your BASSA bunker. It has move on and left militants like you well, well behind.
What you fail to grasp in your ramblings is that the disparity between the BA cabin crew and all other cabin crew has been growing larger and larger every year. Many management structures have either not had the balls or the inclination to deal with it.
When the VA CC threatened a strike over T's & C's then the Bearded one quite pointedly told them if they wanted more pay for the same job then go to BA.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with cancer, the longer you ignore it the more insidious and deep rooted it becomes until it reaches a critical point where painful surgery and radical treatment is required.
In your 'lets ride out the bad times and return to the good times when it's over' just doesn't exist any more. BASSA have seen this coming over years and years and, like a petulant child have stuck their collective fingers in their ears and shouted 'na na na' until the nasty man has gone away. Constructive discussion could have had the company at a point by now where all departments were aligned in contract instead of a big sore thumb sticking up. Even the other threads on this board are saying they will work under the new T's & C's. LGW already do. It is just a minority of you can't see how well you've milked your hated 'neo liberal' machine.
Wake up and smell the coffee. WW will dispense 90 days no longer required on your old contract. Perfectly legal. If you wish to return to work then sign the new contract. It could have been so different.
Instead of your 'don't listen' approach, maybe you ought to have a look at the real world from over the parapet of your BASSA bunker. It has move on and left militants like you well, well behind.
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Wake up a smell the coffee!!
or in the case of Easyjet CC from today wake up and smell your own coffee. A number of papers reporting that Easyjet has stopped CC from using its tea and coffee and that they must know supply thier own.
Take the offer on the table before WW adds this to the list
Take the offer on the table before WW adds this to the list
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Oh, and you asked about Trotsky:
Please tell me you are not spouting revolution trying to derail the process?
radicals who support Trotsky's theory that socialism must be established throughout the world by continuing revolution
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The reapply for your own jobs under new terms and conditions has already been tried and tested by BA when it set up Cityflyer, oh and it worked! just ask any BA cityflyer crew. As for unions fighting it they all looked the other way and didnt want to get involved in BAs experiment.
Last edited by marlowe; 7th Apr 2009 at 12:37.
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Thirty years of Thatcherite brainwashing- just because the cabin crew want to maintain a standard of living which is well below that of pilots by the way,
Is that intended to be serious - because the standard of living on a LHR cabin crew wage is sooooo terrible??? - Also I am sorry but I believe the Pilot's remuneration is in line with the costs involved with their training, and the level of training and scrutiny that they have to go through to carry out their jobs. Cabin Crew are great at what they do but the training is free and in no way as rigourous, also the skills required are almost entirely different - hence a different remuneration package.
Please try not to listen to the management stuff or read the daily newspapers and propaganda which you are fed on a daily basis, try to think for yourself.
I heard the same quote's and unoriginal thought time and time again from Socialist Worker Students whilst I was at Uni.
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That can not be serious - because it is so ridiculous.
Even nurses who work 10 times as hard as doctors don't whine about the fact that their pay is so poor compared to Doctor's. EYXW is right. You can not compare Pilot's wages and FAs wages.
I'll reiterate what I said on another thread. And that is BA CC have relatively the best T&Cs in the land, yet BA are far from being the best Airline.
Don't get me wrong, any reduction in pay is a terrible thing to have to deal with because your current mortgage and other expenditure is based on what you are getting now, so I definately understand the concern.
The wider picture though is that BA is far behind the middle-eastern and SE Asian carriers (not my opinion, read the rankings). BA should have done a "Beardy" years ago and reduced T&Cs to protect the company but becasue the hassle was too much during the boom years, it never happened. The truth now is that it needs to happen. Because BA can not compete with the Middle Eastern and SE asian carriers at present. This reduction in T&Cs needs to happen becasue I would hate to see another British Institution fall upon the scrap heap.
Even nurses who work 10 times as hard as doctors don't whine about the fact that their pay is so poor compared to Doctor's. EYXW is right. You can not compare Pilot's wages and FAs wages.
I'll reiterate what I said on another thread. And that is BA CC have relatively the best T&Cs in the land, yet BA are far from being the best Airline.
Don't get me wrong, any reduction in pay is a terrible thing to have to deal with because your current mortgage and other expenditure is based on what you are getting now, so I definately understand the concern.
The wider picture though is that BA is far behind the middle-eastern and SE Asian carriers (not my opinion, read the rankings). BA should have done a "Beardy" years ago and reduced T&Cs to protect the company but becasue the hassle was too much during the boom years, it never happened. The truth now is that it needs to happen. Because BA can not compete with the Middle Eastern and SE asian carriers at present. This reduction in T&Cs needs to happen becasue I would hate to see another British Institution fall upon the scrap heap.
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I heard the same quote's and unoriginal thought time and time again from Socialist Worker Students whilst I was at Uni.
Mincer you are so '70s.
The world has moved on. Work conditions and renumerations change.
I would agree that no one shoud have renumeration reduction, but there are ways of working smarter.
Personally I think Mincer is a wind up
. It is down to the Cabin Crew Fraternity to tell BASSA to work for THEIR benefit and not the unions'. As mentioned earlier in the thread - get the best possible outcome you can, there will be pain.
The talk of bringing the company down is tosh! The smart Cabin Crew will see through this.
Don't let the Union run you, YOU run the Union.
My 2 cents worth.
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Bringing down the company is pure tosh. Cabin crew have bills to pay, mortgages to pay and family responsibilities to discharge. A few crew may not give a monkeys because they are independently wealthy, but I'm sure that's very few.
So would you rather be in employment working smarter or on the dole, the proud and powerful BASSA destroyed by having no crew to represent. It would be the union committing suicide to bring the company down; BASSA is the British Airways SSA for it to exist so must BA.
But to continue the logic, when BA is no more, what then? Re-employment by a phoenix like company on the same terms and conditions - only in never-never land where the children do not grow up. It is likely that even if the accountants do sell what remains of the assets to another company, say for arguments sake Virgin, what T&C's will they offer - oh yes, the one's they have already. That would be the best scenario, the other alternatives are far worse.
BA CC we are constantly told - and it is true - are generally well educated, thoughtful people. I am confident they will not follow people happy to lead the to the dole queue, as I said before, they have mortgages to pay. They have very little stomach for a strike, and a sick out will not work under this management.
So the Strike will leak, there will be plenty of cc that do not agree or cannot afford to agree with the vocal minority. In todays economic climate a job is a job, and it is this months mortgage and bills that will need to be paid.
The votes from Kempton Park mean very little and are suspiciously homogenous - no differences of opinion on 3 issues amongst 1500 people. Stalin would be proud, WW is not stupid he will look at those ballot results and smile.
So would you rather be in employment working smarter or on the dole, the proud and powerful BASSA destroyed by having no crew to represent. It would be the union committing suicide to bring the company down; BASSA is the British Airways SSA for it to exist so must BA.
But to continue the logic, when BA is no more, what then? Re-employment by a phoenix like company on the same terms and conditions - only in never-never land where the children do not grow up. It is likely that even if the accountants do sell what remains of the assets to another company, say for arguments sake Virgin, what T&C's will they offer - oh yes, the one's they have already. That would be the best scenario, the other alternatives are far worse.
BA CC we are constantly told - and it is true - are generally well educated, thoughtful people. I am confident they will not follow people happy to lead the to the dole queue, as I said before, they have mortgages to pay. They have very little stomach for a strike, and a sick out will not work under this management.
So the Strike will leak, there will be plenty of cc that do not agree or cannot afford to agree with the vocal minority. In todays economic climate a job is a job, and it is this months mortgage and bills that will need to be paid.
The votes from Kempton Park mean very little and are suspiciously homogenous - no differences of opinion on 3 issues amongst 1500 people. Stalin would be proud, WW is not stupid he will look at those ballot results and smile.
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Imagine if cc hijacked some of the airline forums in here- there would be hell to pay from those up front who have such an attitude.
I wish that we were getting 100 Gs and wouldn't have to worry about it.
Please don't mention the miners strike unless you really know what happened!!!!! You open yourself to looking foolish.
Anyway, guess we all just lay down and end up getting paid £5 an hour- strange who comes out of the woodwork and starts defending neo-liberal.
bosses - remember- it's better to fight them than to give in to them.
Please can we have a discussion amongst CC and not flight deck and managers, who's agenda is completely different- mind you, they are always right, have you noticed that?
I wish that we were getting 100 Gs and wouldn't have to worry about it.
Please don't mention the miners strike unless you really know what happened!!!!! You open yourself to looking foolish.
Anyway, guess we all just lay down and end up getting paid £5 an hour- strange who comes out of the woodwork and starts defending neo-liberal.
bosses - remember- it's better to fight them than to give in to them.
Please can we have a discussion amongst CC and not flight deck and managers, who's agenda is completely different- mind you, they are always right, have you noticed that?
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Please can we have a discussion amongst CC and not flight deck and managers, who's agenda is completely different- mind you, they are always right, have you noticed that?
If your agenda, Mincer, is anything different then I suggest you may be in the minority.
As for the Miners strike - everyone has a different opinion of what happened and who was to blame so lets not start on that one!
It's 2009 not 1979 things have changed greatly the recession is far worse this time around and its (the economies) recovery will see oil prices soar once again - Airlines need to make permanent changes to survive.
Don't give up pay - work smarter, work harder but at least try to negotiate.
Mincer, you are a wind up really aren't you? or are you really serious??????
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Heavens. What an acerbic bunch we have become. The last three pages require deletion.
From the start I have pointed out that Walsh's assault is not about saving an ailing airline, it is about a smash & grab on cabin crew T&Cs. I have repeatedly called upon my leadership to explain how the figure of £82million was reached. Some transparency. My union did as they were asked, and produced their own proposals which produced a greater saving than the company required. But £82million was a smokescreen, it may as well have been .82p.
The real intent was the creation of a new fleet, staffed by temporary workers, and starvation of the existing fleet's work - thus earnings.
And its commences in November.
The previous three weeks of intense negotiation have been for nothing. I read here that BASSA will not budge, have a say no attitude. They may have, but so has BA under the regime of Walsh. The argument may be that BASSA said no,no,no but clearly so have BA. I had an interesting chat with a senior manager at BA. Travelling east in first class, and perhaps one too many champers, (deliberately applied!), he let slip that several meetings with the union had been cancelled. Walsh had met with Francis and questioned why he was negotiating, there was nothing to negotiate. Whether the Walsh/Francis meeting occurred is hearsay, however it was confirmed that meetings with BASSA were cancelled, whilst at the same time Francis was telling crew that IfCE was involved in intense negotiations.
So, where from here. It seems that Walsh is revelling in his 'reasonable man gets nowhere' mantra and the unions remain defiant. Neither side will make the first move to compromise. Colleagues I speak with seem happy to take a temporary hit to see BA through the current economic downturn, but not a permanent change to their contracts. They can see the opportunistic nature of Walsh & Co. They also understand that the customer will not benefit. Savings made in the long term will not be passed onto our customers, you will not see a reduction in your ticket price. Nor, will you see any improvement in service. The rut which BA have dug is of no benefit to anyone, not passengers, not other employees, certainly not the cabin crew and not management. Walsh took a gamble and took a sledge hammer, at the worst possible time, to wield at his staff. A better CEO would have been diplomatically and tactfully chipping away, as indeed previous CEOs have done.
So who benefits from this stand-off and its culmination. Perhaps the leadership team and their bonus's, perhaps the shareholders. I would say if the gamble goes wrong, (which is looking highly likely), they too can join the list of those who will not benefit.
Change is constant, I think we all agree, not instantaneous. Major and instant changes lead to problems. This is a major change for me. My loyalty can only lie with my colleagues and unions. A £6000 reduction in my salary equates to 25%. Too much for me to maintain my lifestyle. (Which, incidentially, is not excessive. Just average.) A heart to heart conversation with my wife, and the agreement is that under the new terms I simply could not afford to work for BA. So should i just capitulate, as some, (any I make no apologies), smug commentators on here have suggested and maintain a job, after all jobs are not easy to come by at the moment. The problem of my finances will not change so you will understand why I need to fight to maintain what I have. Fact: You would.
I'm a Conservative, and have been since my days as a crad carrying young conservative. I believe in the doctrine of capitalism, but I also believe that capitalism must be played out carefully and discretely. Make it too blatent and Marx becomes a hero. It's not good to reveal the loss of 300 jobs on the same day that it is revealled the 'fatcat' senior managers are back on a £1000 a day. Winds people up. Alun Howells six days of work equals the repossession of my home.
And to finish. The views expressed on this forum are a minority, and beyond a considered change. I read the same people spouting the same views without consideration of what else is written. This is not a conversation, not a debate. There is a crisis brewing and my time is better spent dealing with the problems the crisis will bring. I cannot influence your views, but neither do I need to. So this will be my last post. My time here does not matter. I'll continue reading for a short while but ultimately I intent to cancel my membership of PPrune.
Happy flying.
From the start I have pointed out that Walsh's assault is not about saving an ailing airline, it is about a smash & grab on cabin crew T&Cs. I have repeatedly called upon my leadership to explain how the figure of £82million was reached. Some transparency. My union did as they were asked, and produced their own proposals which produced a greater saving than the company required. But £82million was a smokescreen, it may as well have been .82p.
The real intent was the creation of a new fleet, staffed by temporary workers, and starvation of the existing fleet's work - thus earnings.
And its commences in November.
The previous three weeks of intense negotiation have been for nothing. I read here that BASSA will not budge, have a say no attitude. They may have, but so has BA under the regime of Walsh. The argument may be that BASSA said no,no,no but clearly so have BA. I had an interesting chat with a senior manager at BA. Travelling east in first class, and perhaps one too many champers, (deliberately applied!), he let slip that several meetings with the union had been cancelled. Walsh had met with Francis and questioned why he was negotiating, there was nothing to negotiate. Whether the Walsh/Francis meeting occurred is hearsay, however it was confirmed that meetings with BASSA were cancelled, whilst at the same time Francis was telling crew that IfCE was involved in intense negotiations.
So, where from here. It seems that Walsh is revelling in his 'reasonable man gets nowhere' mantra and the unions remain defiant. Neither side will make the first move to compromise. Colleagues I speak with seem happy to take a temporary hit to see BA through the current economic downturn, but not a permanent change to their contracts. They can see the opportunistic nature of Walsh & Co. They also understand that the customer will not benefit. Savings made in the long term will not be passed onto our customers, you will not see a reduction in your ticket price. Nor, will you see any improvement in service. The rut which BA have dug is of no benefit to anyone, not passengers, not other employees, certainly not the cabin crew and not management. Walsh took a gamble and took a sledge hammer, at the worst possible time, to wield at his staff. A better CEO would have been diplomatically and tactfully chipping away, as indeed previous CEOs have done.
So who benefits from this stand-off and its culmination. Perhaps the leadership team and their bonus's, perhaps the shareholders. I would say if the gamble goes wrong, (which is looking highly likely), they too can join the list of those who will not benefit.
Change is constant, I think we all agree, not instantaneous. Major and instant changes lead to problems. This is a major change for me. My loyalty can only lie with my colleagues and unions. A £6000 reduction in my salary equates to 25%. Too much for me to maintain my lifestyle. (Which, incidentially, is not excessive. Just average.) A heart to heart conversation with my wife, and the agreement is that under the new terms I simply could not afford to work for BA. So should i just capitulate, as some, (any I make no apologies), smug commentators on here have suggested and maintain a job, after all jobs are not easy to come by at the moment. The problem of my finances will not change so you will understand why I need to fight to maintain what I have. Fact: You would.
I'm a Conservative, and have been since my days as a crad carrying young conservative. I believe in the doctrine of capitalism, but I also believe that capitalism must be played out carefully and discretely. Make it too blatent and Marx becomes a hero. It's not good to reveal the loss of 300 jobs on the same day that it is revealled the 'fatcat' senior managers are back on a £1000 a day. Winds people up. Alun Howells six days of work equals the repossession of my home.
And to finish. The views expressed on this forum are a minority, and beyond a considered change. I read the same people spouting the same views without consideration of what else is written. This is not a conversation, not a debate. There is a crisis brewing and my time is better spent dealing with the problems the crisis will bring. I cannot influence your views, but neither do I need to. So this will be my last post. My time here does not matter. I'll continue reading for a short while but ultimately I intent to cancel my membership of PPrune.
Happy flying.