British Airways - CC Industrial Relations & Negotiations
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That is why Walsh has had very little success closing the deal with IBERIA. He has failed to cement the alliance with American Airilnes. He presided over a disaster with the opening of T5. He has wasted millions on OpenSkies and whilst cutting the product in Club out of LHR, he starts a bespoke service to JFK out of LCY. You couldn't make it up.
Iberia is not closed, as market values of the two airlines have fluctuated wildly, making proportionate holdings in the combined company impossible to set in stone. Add a good dose of Spanish pseudo state intervention through the holding companies...
American is tied up in US approvals. The timescale of such is out of WW's hands.
Openskies - perhaps he has wasted a few million - ill advised timing and L'Avion takeover certainly, but could prove a winner in the long-run. None of us can tell without access to the accounts for the route...
LCY - unequivocal success to date. Read Flyertalk and see what the real passengers say.
T5 - better than many other openings, but mired by poor planning certainly. 3 months in and thereafter, has been a roaring success though - are you going to give him credit for that though? Thought not.
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Re Heat #2642
I actually think BA's process to resolve the strike will be simple and not involve legal action at all. Firstly, I doubt any strike would be "all out". As with the postal dispute, different groups will be called out on different days, and most of the time there will be no strike action at all. The idea will be to cause maximum disruption at minimum cost of lost earnings to strikers.
So, let's say LHR long haul get called out first for, say 3 days just before Christmas. Only those staff rostered those days need strike. Everyone else turns up for work. The idea would be to call out, say LHR short haul over New Year next.
How could/should BA respond? Well, firstly, I would expect they are already contacting those on their CC employment waiting list and offering them short term work. How many CC wannabes does BA have right now? How many experienced redundant CC from other airlines could it recruit quickly? Enough to keep the bulk of flights in the air I'm assuming. Secondly, as the first strikers return after their 2-3 days of action, they could be met from BA's HR (or "People" as I think BA call it) department and asked to sign a paper agreeing to work according to the new working conditions. If they sign it, it would then be very hard to strike legally again. If they don't sign it, they get told to go home on (say) 90 days unpaid leave, with that period covered by the short-term contract staff recruited above. It would be very hard to sue BA for anything. Nobody has been sacked. Everyone is given the opportunity to work according to the new terms. It even gives the "undecideds" or those who don't want a fight but equally have no desire to undermine their Union, a chance to undertake a "symbolic" strike, and then fall into line at little cost to anyone.
There's really no need for BA to go for the confrontational approach everyone, for different reasons, seems to be relishing here. Ultimately, those remaining at BA have to be able to work together, and show a degre of pleasure in doing so to passengers. Crushing the entire CC community isn't a good play for Walsh long term. Crushing the Union diehards undoubtedly is.
So, let's say LHR long haul get called out first for, say 3 days just before Christmas. Only those staff rostered those days need strike. Everyone else turns up for work. The idea would be to call out, say LHR short haul over New Year next.
How could/should BA respond? Well, firstly, I would expect they are already contacting those on their CC employment waiting list and offering them short term work. How many CC wannabes does BA have right now? How many experienced redundant CC from other airlines could it recruit quickly? Enough to keep the bulk of flights in the air I'm assuming. Secondly, as the first strikers return after their 2-3 days of action, they could be met from BA's HR (or "People" as I think BA call it) department and asked to sign a paper agreeing to work according to the new working conditions. If they sign it, it would then be very hard to strike legally again. If they don't sign it, they get told to go home on (say) 90 days unpaid leave, with that period covered by the short-term contract staff recruited above. It would be very hard to sue BA for anything. Nobody has been sacked. Everyone is given the opportunity to work according to the new terms. It even gives the "undecideds" or those who don't want a fight but equally have no desire to undermine their Union, a chance to undertake a "symbolic" strike, and then fall into line at little cost to anyone.
There's really no need for BA to go for the confrontational approach everyone, for different reasons, seems to be relishing here. Ultimately, those remaining at BA have to be able to work together, and show a degre of pleasure in doing so to passengers. Crushing the entire CC community isn't a good play for Walsh long term. Crushing the Union diehards undoubtedly is.
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There's really no need for BA to go for the confrontational approach everyone, for different reasons, seems to be relishing here. Ultimately, those remaining at BA have to be able to work together, and show a degre of pleasure in doing so to passengers. Crushing the entire CC community isn't a good play for Walsh long term. Crushing the Union diehards undoubtedly is.
I agree, that some utter moron in management has failed to take a non-confrontational approach, where clearly this could have been better communicated. But, you are where you are, and I reckon that management would take the short, sharp route simply in order to minimise long-term revenue erosion and implement their will more quickly.
Pity. As I alluded to, if I were representing a group, I would take a more pragmatic and inclusive approach, addressing points such as
- Bidding
- Minimising faff time in uniform
- Sharing allowances more equally on an hourly rate
etc etc.
BA haven't a hope in hell of creating the most motivated workforce on the planet with BASSA diehards, but they haven't a hope in hell of doing so by creating mistrust and crushing all hope the employees have of representation either...
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Further to my other post on here,
BA is not going to last another 10 years the way it is being managed!!
Lord King and Sir Colin were the best men at the time for the job, The Airline was ran by precision, maybe too well at times.
But since them a Miserable Aussie (Who decided he didn't like Concorde when everyone else did) and the current Shamrock man have tried to run the World's favourite Airline.
This situation is becoming an embarrasment for all who are involved, And BA Mgt don't seem to realise Industry eyes are watching very closely.
The fare paying pax will only listen to so much 'Drivel' about BA and may take their money elsewhere?
A Professional Airline will run itself, Just like a Professional Football team.
How many other National Flag carriers ask their C Crew to work on a voluntary basis?
Unbelievable.
BA is not going to last another 10 years the way it is being managed!!
Lord King and Sir Colin were the best men at the time for the job, The Airline was ran by precision, maybe too well at times.
But since them a Miserable Aussie (Who decided he didn't like Concorde when everyone else did) and the current Shamrock man have tried to run the World's favourite Airline.
This situation is becoming an embarrasment for all who are involved, And BA Mgt don't seem to realise Industry eyes are watching very closely.
The fare paying pax will only listen to so much 'Drivel' about BA and may take their money elsewhere?
A Professional Airline will run itself, Just like a Professional Football team.
How many other National Flag carriers ask their C Crew to work on a voluntary basis?
Unbelievable.
A Lurker,
Please do not think that some of the posters here who appear anti-cabin crew are in love with the management - they simply see the reality of the situation and have had it clearly explained to them by their union. I, personally, do not trust the management further than I could spit a medium sized rat but I do trust the process which allowed access to the financial records which showed that BA are in big trouble.
I would also appreciate it if you could expand on your statement that "BA are imposing contractual changes". If you have your contract of employment in front of you would you be so helpful as to cut and paste the sections which BA are changing. If you are able to do this it would bring a lot of clarity to the situation.
You would also seem to be appaled at the lack of support for the CC by some weho would seem to be FD. It has been stated many times by many posters on many forums (fora?) that they will bring the company to it's knees and put it out of business to keep what they currently have. If this happens I will lose my job, my pension, my house and too many other things to list. If you think I will support colleagues who will put me at that risk so that they can maintain a life-style which is so divorecd from market realities as to be unbelievable, you are completely mistaken.
Please do not think that some of the posters here who appear anti-cabin crew are in love with the management - they simply see the reality of the situation and have had it clearly explained to them by their union. I, personally, do not trust the management further than I could spit a medium sized rat but I do trust the process which allowed access to the financial records which showed that BA are in big trouble.
I would also appreciate it if you could expand on your statement that "BA are imposing contractual changes". If you have your contract of employment in front of you would you be so helpful as to cut and paste the sections which BA are changing. If you are able to do this it would bring a lot of clarity to the situation.
You would also seem to be appaled at the lack of support for the CC by some weho would seem to be FD. It has been stated many times by many posters on many forums (fora?) that they will bring the company to it's knees and put it out of business to keep what they currently have. If this happens I will lose my job, my pension, my house and too many other things to list. If you think I will support colleagues who will put me at that risk so that they can maintain a life-style which is so divorecd from market realities as to be unbelievable, you are completely mistaken.
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You have all missed the point I made in an earlier post, that tomorrow's (Thursday) ruling on the injunction brought by UNITE will be a watershed or landmark decision. It will be closely watched by all employers in the UK, and if BA can get away with imposition many other companies will follow suit. Am employment contract will not be worth the paper it is written on.
It is unusual, normally for financial reasons, for an employee or employees to take out an injunction against an employer. Also BASSA/AMICUS are asking BA NOT to do something.
If the injunction goes against Walsh, whose decision it was to impose, he will have no option but to resign. But of course he wont anymore than he should have over T5.
BA have been involved in illegal activity involving cargo and fuel price fixing, if Walsh is also proved to have acted illegally against his staff through imposition, his position is untenable. Also you cannot manage a large body of staff by confrontation. When asked by Len McCluskey to reconsider his impositon, all that Walsh repeated was "I have the right to manage" several times. He may be pugnacious, but this 'bunker mentality' is going to be his achilles heel. As Winston Churchill once said: "a man who cannot change his mind, is of no use"
He has completely the wrong style for British Airways and should really be running a low cost operation, rather than trying to turn BA into one.
It is unusual, normally for financial reasons, for an employee or employees to take out an injunction against an employer. Also BASSA/AMICUS are asking BA NOT to do something.
If the injunction goes against Walsh, whose decision it was to impose, he will have no option but to resign. But of course he wont anymore than he should have over T5.
BA have been involved in illegal activity involving cargo and fuel price fixing, if Walsh is also proved to have acted illegally against his staff through imposition, his position is untenable. Also you cannot manage a large body of staff by confrontation. When asked by Len McCluskey to reconsider his impositon, all that Walsh repeated was "I have the right to manage" several times. He may be pugnacious, but this 'bunker mentality' is going to be his achilles heel. As Winston Churchill once said: "a man who cannot change his mind, is of no use"
He has completely the wrong style for British Airways and should really be running a low cost operation, rather than trying to turn BA into one.
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The injunction won't be granted because BA aren't breaking any laws. Walsdeskes have a right to manage the company. BASSA do not. The price fixing activity pre-dates Walshs tenure as CEO, but it doesn't help BASSA to point that out so they don't. Walsh is the ideal man to cut costs because he's not afraid to take rentamob on.
Junior trash
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You have all missed the point I made in an earlier post, that tomorrow's (Thursday) ruling on the injunction brought by UNITE will be a watershed or landmark decision. It will be closely watched by all employers in the UK, and if BA can get away with imposition many other companies will follow suit. Am employment contract will not be worth the paper it is written on.
The court are not deciding whether BA can reduce crewing levels, they are just deciding if they are going the right way about it.
Suprised BASSA havent told you this really.
He has completely the wrong style for British Airways and should really be running a low cost operation, rather than trying to turn BA into one
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I guess Flap 62 you mean a similar cost base to Air France/KLM, Lufthansa, Iberia rather than RyanAir?
Carnage: The fuel and cargo price fixing also post dated Walsh's arrival at BA. So you are telling me that he had no idea what all these managers and one senior director were doing?
I agree with ByAlphaIndia that BA management are turning the company into a laughing stock as far industrial relations go. Why would Iberia want to merge with a company that has become a pariah in the way it treats its staff?
Already forward bookings or click throughs on one large travel website are showing a 13% drop to British Airways, compared to before the dispute escalated. If BA is in a fight for survival, we shall see how much damage Walsh will allow besides the strike itself. He has already demonstrated disgraceful conduct in talking the airline down to push his agenda. How long before it dawns on the shareholders that this prize that Walsh is after, is not a prize worth winning. What we are witnessing in industrial terms, is thermo-nuclear conflict and we all know the reason why such an event has never occurred for real.
Carnage: The fuel and cargo price fixing also post dated Walsh's arrival at BA. So you are telling me that he had no idea what all these managers and one senior director were doing?
I agree with ByAlphaIndia that BA management are turning the company into a laughing stock as far industrial relations go. Why would Iberia want to merge with a company that has become a pariah in the way it treats its staff?
Already forward bookings or click throughs on one large travel website are showing a 13% drop to British Airways, compared to before the dispute escalated. If BA is in a fight for survival, we shall see how much damage Walsh will allow besides the strike itself. He has already demonstrated disgraceful conduct in talking the airline down to push his agenda. How long before it dawns on the shareholders that this prize that Walsh is after, is not a prize worth winning. What we are witnessing in industrial terms, is thermo-nuclear conflict and we all know the reason why such an event has never occurred for real.
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Please, although I know CF will, don't assume that granting tomorrow's injunction means anything significant in this dispute. It's simply a temporary stoppage on BA's changes until a full court hearing - if it's granted. So a BASSA "win" tomorrow is little of the sort other than a judge deciding it warrants deeper investigation in the courts. If BASSA "win" that one then it's more significant but, even then, all BA have to do then, as far as I'm aware, is give notice of change to contracts over a 90 day period and these changes can come in anyway.
The long and the short of it is that you'll need to negotiate or strike to avoid them - it's most unlikely a court will tell BA they can't change.
MrB
The long and the short of it is that you'll need to negotiate or strike to avoid them - it's most unlikely a court will tell BA they can't change.
MrB
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I agree with ByAlphaIndia that BA management are turning the company into a laughing stock as far industrial relations go. Why would Iberia want to merge with a company that has become a pariah in the way it treats its staff?
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The fuel and cargo price fixing also post dated Walsh's arrival at BA. So you are telling me that he had no idea what all these managers and one senior director were doing?
Already forward bookings or click throughs on one large travel website are showing a 13% drop to British Airways, compared to before the dispute escalated.
How long before it dawns on the shareholders that this prize that Walsh is after, is not a prize worth winning.
What we are witnessing in industrial terms, is thermo-nuclear conflict and we all know the reason why such an event has never occurred for real.
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Rumour doing the rounds today is all Pay Increments for all staff are to be history, am sure it will not be good news for all, but if it helps in the long term, guess all staff will be happy enough.
I asked the person who told me, "after CC sorted, will Pensions or Increments be next to sort out" they told me time is too short re cash burn and both will make an early showing after the CC changes.
I asked the person who told me, "after CC sorted, will Pensions or Increments be next to sort out" they told me time is too short re cash burn and both will make an early showing after the CC changes.
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If a trade union cannot reach a collective agreement with the employer, an employer can impose changes other than contractual changes providing 90 days notice is given. Did BA not give the 90 days notice? Or will the court be deliberating over whether one cabin crew removed from an aircraft is a contractual change or not?
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Every penny BA loses as a result of BASSA's strike action, or the threat thereof, is cash which is unavailable to the pension fund. What do you think will happen to BA's ability to fund NAPS if BASSA bleeds the company dry in this futile 'fight to the death'?
In case you haven't noticed, this is not BASSA vs Walsh, this is BASSA vs almost everyone else in BA. What on earth are you thinking?
Before responding, please look up the term 'Pyrrhic victory'.
In case you haven't noticed, this is not BASSA vs Walsh, this is BASSA vs almost everyone else in BA. What on earth are you thinking?
Before responding, please look up the term 'Pyrrhic victory'.