British Airways - CC Industrial Relations Mk VI

[Litebulbs]

Imagine another scene, nobody turns up for work.

[The Blu Riband]

Fruitbat

don't underestimate the militant and determined attitude of the crewforumites et al. If you read the Bassa forum you would be amazed; it really is a different world. No room for doubt, or doubters, there.

There are certainly more than 500 potential strikers!

But how many more? My guess 1500 max. And how many are scheduled to be working next saturday? It's more relevant how many fence sitters will have the guts ( or lack of ) to report for duty.

I also see that the designated picket areas have been mapped.

6 authorised locations - none anywhere near T5!

[Hotel Mode]

Imagine another scene, nobody turns up for work.

Willy has just said that 60% of passengers will be flown on day 1. He knows how many will work.

[fruitbat]

Litebulbs

Never going to happen.

If you are BA then listen to the speech WW has just given. 60 percent of the booked passengers will be able to fly on Saturday.

Also once again he says, ALL strikers WILL lose their staff travel for life. Even if UNITE want it as a return to work condition, it will be REFUSED!

Time to get informed people, and realise what you are putting at stake...

[mesmeris]

I suspect more than a few passengers would love to have access to the picket areas to voice their opinion.

[Safety Concerns]

this situation has "miners strike" written all over it. Not because of duration rather the inevitable outcome.

[londonmet]

Anyone got an online link to the latest from WW?

L Met

[The Blu Riband]

The flight I've just done is probably typical.

Only 1 from 11 overtly determined to strike; and BA need to get rid of these difficult attitudes anyway.

But I'm not convinced Willie's done enough yet to sway the week and ill informed.

Much talk about Willie apparently saying he's not going to "sack" anyone.
Anyone have more info?

[Old and Horrified]

quote:
"this situation has "miners strike" written all over it. Not because of duration rather the inevitable outcome."

And remember what then happened to all of the coal mines we used to have....

[Openclimb]

poleaxe

openclimb- Enlighten me, why are the crew going on strike if the changes involve receiving the same pay and more time at home? If that's the case we'll have willie at my airline.

Look Man,

If BA management were trying to decimate the terms and conditions of the cabin crew in a year when they had just made 900 million profit, Id back the cabin crew to the hilt.

Unfortunately, the last couple of years BA has lost about that amount and has come to all the employee groups for cost savings. They didn't ask for equal savings across the board as some employee groups are paid about market rate for the work they do and some, due to past intransigence and weak management, are not. Each employee group could negotiate how it wanted to make up those savings with the proviso that negotioations be finished by 30 June 2009.

All groups came up with negotiated solutions apart from BASSA who, on the basis of a show of hands at a meeting refused to negotiate. Eventually BA imposed the very reasonable cost saving of removing a crew member from most flights with the CSD actually taking part in the service on LH flights.

Since the average cabin crew costs at BA are double what some of their competitors are (anyone who doesn't understand what average means, don't bother to argue this point) this was seen as a reasonable move as it didnt reduce pay at all but the BASSA high command, consisting disproportionatly of long haul CSDs said this was not acceptable. The BASSA following at BA is a bit like a cult with no one being allowed to question the wisdom of the leaders so the membership, being brainwashed as they are, are now being asked to take part in a suicidal strike for what is basically a power struggle over who runs BA.

So you tell me, why, when all other groups at BA have agreed savings to help ensure the long term viability of their employer, should the cabin crew be exempt (when they are already so expensive)?

Why should I, through cuts to my pay and working harder, subsidise the overpaid underworked lifestyles of other work groups in BA who do not pull their weight?

As for being a serious crewmember I stood on a picket line for 11 days in Anchorage Alaska, fighting for the jobs of my colleagues. Something that you probably would never be man enough to do.

Well done. If your fight was against greedy management exploitation of the workforce, then power to your elbow. If it was banging your head against the wall of economic reality as is the case here, then more fool you.

You know nothing about me, the same as you know nothing about this dispute so your supposition about what I would or would not be man enough to do is neither here nor there, is it?

[Re-Heat]

"But it is rather unfortunate that the government of all shapes and sizes always want to kick the unions and kick the employees when in actual fact it's my members who've been kicked here."

Tony Woodley on BBC. Not the operative word "we" indicates how he thinks about the membership. He is not representing the membership - he views them as foot-soldiers on his struggle for power.

[finncapt]

In that interview Tony Woodley stated how he wanted BA to put their offer back on the table.

Perhaps someone can explain to me the point (of doing that) if the union is going to recommend that it is rejected by the membership.

I also felt he alluded to the fact that he was not overly happy with the way Mr McLuskey had conducted himself.

[Ruthanne]

It's quoted on FT that BA put the offer back on the table friday evening,
Unite refused, also it was alleged that a meeting was arranged for Sunday but Unite failed to turn up

My mind is totally confused!!!!!!

[Litebulbs]

Woodley and Simpson

Various comments have been made about these to gentlemen and their fight for power. I thought that they are both retiring?

[Two-Tone-Blue]

BA share price keeps on rising. What do the City know that we don't?
BA Shares

Does anyone have a public link to Mr Walsh's statement?

[pencisely]

<500 on strike scenario

If as has been suggested on this forum, 500 or less actually come out on strike does anyone know the likely impact on longhaul services?

I am trying to get to SFO on 28th but no Info available yet

[Tiramisu]

Imagine another scene, nobody turns up for work.

That will not happen!
Some us are coming in on our days off and additionally, I have given up a weeks leave for the second time now to support the operation!

[newirishbabe]

No sign of Glamgirl lately, i reckon shes so busy responding to requests from worried CC not wanting to strike, she's no time to do anything else

Strike wont last more than a day, a small number will strike on the 1st morning, but those due in the afternoon will turn up when they see such poor support, and it will be game over, with the biggest losers being those rostered for the first morning of the strike.

[fruitbat]

Pencisely

BA should be publishing the new schedules for the coming weeks later today or tomorrow.

Longhaul will be the priority, if for any reason they do cancel you flight I would think there is a very good chance BA will find you a seat on another airline.

All will be revealed soon, but I still think the Union will back down at the 11th hour. They are being attacked from all sides....

[Middy]

What does the city know ?

I suspect that the Board went to the city boys and said it will cost us £xxx amount of money to sort out this problem and they agreed to back BA financially.So the share price going up is them getting ready for the return on their investment knowing that BA would still be in business once this sorry mess is sorted out. Buy low and sell high !