British Airways vs. BASSA (Airline Staff Only)
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I sincerely hope that BA succeeds in this injunction, because this unnecessary, unfair and ridiculous strike action is causing untold upset to our customers, crew and our company. What on earth is the reason for it?
BA have more than one ground for an injunction, and I wonder if they will use them. The letter from the Unite joint general secretary's is very incriminating. It makes no mention of the word "imposition" as the basis of this strike, but actually states "the overriding factor in rejection was the vindictive approach taken by the Company in disciplining, and in some cases dismissing employees, for various misdemeanours attributed to the dispute".
http://uniteba.com/ESW/Files/20100512145940215.pdf
Well this gives BA two further reasons for injunction:
a. The strike action HAS to be based on imposition, this letter is clear evidence it is not.
b. "the action is not in support of an employee dismissed for taking unofficial industrial action" Could not turning up for rostered flights be classed as taking unofficial industrial action?
When BA achieves an injunction
, they should leave the strikers at home on 24hr/ non ops etc. Then come 18th June deadline for the facilities agreement with Unite, BA should ballot each and every single crew member and see if they still support Unite or if they would prefer a more balanced, collaborative approach such as the Professional Cabin Crew Council.
There has to be an end to this outdated, unwanted union holding our company to ransom, and this is the only way out that I can see. BASSA back in the building after all of this is simply untenable, unworkable and unacceptable to the majority of hardworking, loyal and excellent BA employees.
I am BA crew and this is my own viewpoint and not that of BA.
BA have more than one ground for an injunction, and I wonder if they will use them. The letter from the Unite joint general secretary's is very incriminating. It makes no mention of the word "imposition" as the basis of this strike, but actually states "the overriding factor in rejection was the vindictive approach taken by the Company in disciplining, and in some cases dismissing employees, for various misdemeanours attributed to the dispute".
http://uniteba.com/ESW/Files/20100512145940215.pdf
Well this gives BA two further reasons for injunction:
a. The strike action HAS to be based on imposition, this letter is clear evidence it is not.
b. "the action is not in support of an employee dismissed for taking unofficial industrial action" Could not turning up for rostered flights be classed as taking unofficial industrial action?
When BA achieves an injunction
, they should leave the strikers at home on 24hr/ non ops etc. Then come 18th June deadline for the facilities agreement with Unite, BA should ballot each and every single crew member and see if they still support Unite or if they would prefer a more balanced, collaborative approach such as the Professional Cabin Crew Council.There has to be an end to this outdated, unwanted union holding our company to ransom, and this is the only way out that I can see. BASSA back in the building after all of this is simply untenable, unworkable and unacceptable to the majority of hardworking, loyal and excellent BA employees.
I am BA crew and this is my own viewpoint and not that of BA.
Last edited by HiFlyer14; 15th May 2010 at 10:30.
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Originally Posted by Juan Odeboyse
From A BA passengers (remember them) point of view this planned injunction is the worst possible scenario.
I hope the strikes go ahead.
Originally Posted by HiFlyer14
.....prefer a more balanced, collaborative approach such as the Professional Cabin Crew Council.
.
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Essesdee
Ottergirl is right to an extent.
Every CC external recruitment campaign I have been involved with in the past 5 years has always involved offline CC, however there are external consultancies that BA have used in previous campaigns who would be able to provide the means to recruit large numbers of new intake.
The blockage may occur with the subsequent administration such as taking up references and the required security checks.
Ottergirl is right to an extent.
Every CC external recruitment campaign I have been involved with in the past 5 years has always involved offline CC, however there are external consultancies that BA have used in previous campaigns who would be able to provide the means to recruit large numbers of new intake.
The blockage may occur with the subsequent administration such as taking up references and the required security checks.
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By massively simplifying the payment structure (as the company has proposed) real savings would be made without significantly affecting CC wages.
Win-win.
Win-win.
Yet again, real progress in IR and CC T&C's has been hamstrung over the last few years because of the greed of BASSA reps only interested in themselves.
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Originally Posted by BlueUpGood
Trouble is, a bidding system means the BASSA reps can't cherry-pick the money trips, and with a simplified allowance system (hourly rate), there won't be any money trips.
Yet again, real progress in IR and CC T&C's has been hamstrung over the last few years because of the greed of BASSA reps only interested in themselves.
Yet again, real progress in IR and CC T&C's has been hamstrung over the last few years because of the greed of BASSA reps only interested in themselves.
So while it might appear as though the reps are doing more good trips than others, it's not at all true - they're simply doing less of the bad ones because those make up the bulk of the average crew member's roster and they are therefore most likely to be removed in place of union work.
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for fear of repeating myself. No CC participated in the least 2 recruitment campaigns I have neen involved with
Esseesdee
It really is not a worthwile debate, but I have been involved in every CC recuitment campaign in the past five years and I can assure you that all those occassions offline CC HAVE been involved apart from internal promotion interviews, for obvious reasons.
That's my last comment on this...total waste of time and energy.
Esseesdee
It really is not a worthwile debate, but I have been involved in every CC recuitment campaign in the past five years and I can assure you that all those occassions offline CC HAVE been involved apart from internal promotion interviews, for obvious reasons.
That's my last comment on this...total waste of time and energy.
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I understand that the issue of reinstatement of ID travel for certain CC members who had this 'privelidge' withdrawn is a major plank in the Unite argument for the non resumption of talks with BA. If it is a privelidge, it is within the Company's gift to bestow, or not, as they see fit. If the price for striking is the loss of these privelidges then I can't see, legally or morally, from where the Unite argument stems.
Your job is legally secure but the 'perks' are not.
Your job is legally secure but the 'perks' are not.
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CantFlywithoutengine
Shame on you, BASSA Crew
There are 14000 BA Cabin Crew, 10000 of which are represented by Unite/BASSA According to Unite , there was a 71% turnout for the ballot . Which is 7100 people (71% x 10,000) According to Unite, 81% voted to reject Willie's offer . 81% of 7100 is 5,751. 5,751 crew members is 41% of the crew population of 14000. This means 59% (100% less 41%) of Crew are willing to accept Willie's latest offer and get on with it. I'm sorry but I'll repeat - a 59% majority wanting to accept the offer and move on. Those who rejected the offer should go with the 59% majority and sign up to Willie's offer. During the last strike, when the [alleged] majority were in favour of striking, they were calling on the minority to join in in solidarity, otherwise they were 'Scabin crew'. So what's the name for them , now they're in a minority , refusing to join the majority in solidarity and accept Willie's offer ? "Hypocrites" in my book.
And the fact that our lovely Gatwick crew have to put up with this really riles me.
Anyone who thinks the overwhelming majority of crew want to reject the offer and strike is more bonkers than Tony Woodley, Len Mcluskey and Hartley Hare.
You are absolutely right and it amazes me that Unite are allowed to get way with this spin. It needs to be challenged in the media!!
Shame on you, BASSA Crew There are 14000 BA Cabin Crew, 10000 of which are represented by Unite/BASSA According to Unite , there was a 71% turnout for the ballot . Which is 7100 people (71% x 10,000) According to Unite, 81% voted to reject Willie's offer . 81% of 7100 is 5,751. 5,751 crew members is 41% of the crew population of 14000. This means 59% (100% less 41%) of Crew are willing to accept Willie's latest offer and get on with it. I'm sorry but I'll repeat - a 59% majority wanting to accept the offer and move on. Those who rejected the offer should go with the 59% majority and sign up to Willie's offer. During the last strike, when the [alleged] majority were in favour of striking, they were calling on the minority to join in in solidarity, otherwise they were 'Scabin crew'. So what's the name for them , now they're in a minority , refusing to join the majority in solidarity and accept Willie's offer ? "Hypocrites" in my book.
And the fact that our lovely Gatwick crew have to put up with this really riles me.
Anyone who thinks the overwhelming majority of crew want to reject the offer and strike is more bonkers than Tony Woodley, Len Mcluskey and Hartley Hare.
You are absolutely right and it amazes me that Unite are allowed to get way with this spin. It needs to be challenged in the media!!
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How about you pilots out there opening a cabin crew section of Balpa!
A history lesson:
There was something similar tried once before, as the vision of the late Mark Young who was Balpa's General Secretary at the time.
It was set up with about 6,000 BA cabin crew leaving the TGWU, mainly from the BASSA longhaul branch. It came under enormous vitriolic attack from the shorthaul Bassa branch, including many lies and accusations which led to successful libel actions against the TGWU. These took about two years to reach the high court and ended up costing Bassa/Tgwu around three quarters of a million pounds in total.
During the intervening two years, many crew believed the lies and mud slinging propaganda from the Bassa faithful and drifted back to the old union. There was also anti feeling from some of the shorthaul pilots (called pinkies due to their left wing leanings) many of whom were married to shorthaul cabin crew in Bassa.
Balpa lost the will to move forward with the federation and the cabin crew needed a new home. They entered an agreement with the EETPU (electrician's union) which merged with the AEU (engineers) into the AEWU, which became part of AMICUS which is now part of UNITE. So the wheel has turned full circle. Maybe it should roll forward again!
This scenario started over twenty year ago and refers to Cabin Crew '89.
Times have changed, Unite is split and very unpopular with many cabin crew. It is hated by many pilots. The PCCC is not a Union, is unlikely to be accepted by the majority of crew, and anyway would find it almost impossible to raise the funding to become one. There members/leaders however would be needed, along with other fed up crew, for their initiative and drive to get a fledgling union off the ground.
Anyone out there brave enough to run with this?
There was something similar tried once before, as the vision of the late Mark Young who was Balpa's General Secretary at the time.
It was set up with about 6,000 BA cabin crew leaving the TGWU, mainly from the BASSA longhaul branch. It came under enormous vitriolic attack from the shorthaul Bassa branch, including many lies and accusations which led to successful libel actions against the TGWU. These took about two years to reach the high court and ended up costing Bassa/Tgwu around three quarters of a million pounds in total.
During the intervening two years, many crew believed the lies and mud slinging propaganda from the Bassa faithful and drifted back to the old union. There was also anti feeling from some of the shorthaul pilots (called pinkies due to their left wing leanings) many of whom were married to shorthaul cabin crew in Bassa.
Balpa lost the will to move forward with the federation and the cabin crew needed a new home. They entered an agreement with the EETPU (electrician's union) which merged with the AEU (engineers) into the AEWU, which became part of AMICUS which is now part of UNITE. So the wheel has turned full circle. Maybe it should roll forward again!
This scenario started over twenty year ago and refers to Cabin Crew '89.
Times have changed, Unite is split and very unpopular with many cabin crew. It is hated by many pilots. The PCCC is not a Union, is unlikely to be accepted by the majority of crew, and anyway would find it almost impossible to raise the funding to become one. There members/leaders however would be needed, along with other fed up crew, for their initiative and drive to get a fledgling union off the ground.
Anyone out there brave enough to run with this?
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Eddy, surely the very fact that many cabin crew feel they don't get their fair share of the lucrative trips, together with the accusation that the union reps mainy seem to go to the best paid destinations should be enough for the union to support implementation of a fairer, more transparent system, like the pilots have, wouldn't you agree?
It would surely improve the morale and job satisfaction of the entire community if everyone felt they were being treated more fairly?
Just the simple accusation of illicit cherry picking by those with their hand in the biscuit jar should be enough for a responsible administration to push for fairness and transparency. There has been no sign of either of these traits from the current union as far as I can see, and not just in regard of taking better paid trips for themselves, effectively stealing money out of the pockets of the less well paid and probably harder working masses. It smacks of corruption, which of course should not be tolerated.
Where there's smoke there is often fire, and a fair and equitable union would and should surely do more to demonstrate that it puts it's fee-paying members and their plight before themselves. Unfortunately you have to concede that there appears to be little if any evidence of this from BASSA, which seem intent on slandering other work groups and poisoning their subservient and subguided electorate against their colleagues and employer.
This underhand playground tactic has directly ensured the animosity of everyone outside of BASSA against those in it. Those within the company can maybe see how it is the union fatcats that are trying to ruin the company and the livelihoods of so many innocent workers, not just from the cc community obviously. I'm afraid the public and our dwindling fare-paying customers are now wise to what it sees as BASSA's (the leaders of the cabin crew, elected by the cabin crew) repeated and selfish lies, resulting in them blaming all normal cabin crew.
These self-serving, over-grandiosed, greedy few have been polluting the good name if BA cabin crew for a long time now (and obviously by implication the once good name of the wider BA) and the fact that the cc have done little to stop or question them makes all BA cabin crew guilty in the eyes of the outside world. Of course WE know there's probably more to it, but the numbers trumpeted by BASSA make it hard to feel sorry for the community as a whole, and it's a GREAT shame that the brave few who voted against them, who have left the union, who never belonged to the union and who back BA will inevitably be lumped into the same deceitful, disgraceful and disingenuous group.
It would surely improve the morale and job satisfaction of the entire community if everyone felt they were being treated more fairly?
Just the simple accusation of illicit cherry picking by those with their hand in the biscuit jar should be enough for a responsible administration to push for fairness and transparency. There has been no sign of either of these traits from the current union as far as I can see, and not just in regard of taking better paid trips for themselves, effectively stealing money out of the pockets of the less well paid and probably harder working masses. It smacks of corruption, which of course should not be tolerated.
Where there's smoke there is often fire, and a fair and equitable union would and should surely do more to demonstrate that it puts it's fee-paying members and their plight before themselves. Unfortunately you have to concede that there appears to be little if any evidence of this from BASSA, which seem intent on slandering other work groups and poisoning their subservient and subguided electorate against their colleagues and employer.
This underhand playground tactic has directly ensured the animosity of everyone outside of BASSA against those in it. Those within the company can maybe see how it is the union fatcats that are trying to ruin the company and the livelihoods of so many innocent workers, not just from the cc community obviously. I'm afraid the public and our dwindling fare-paying customers are now wise to what it sees as BASSA's (the leaders of the cabin crew, elected by the cabin crew) repeated and selfish lies, resulting in them blaming all normal cabin crew.
These self-serving, over-grandiosed, greedy few have been polluting the good name if BA cabin crew for a long time now (and obviously by implication the once good name of the wider BA) and the fact that the cc have done little to stop or question them makes all BA cabin crew guilty in the eyes of the outside world. Of course WE know there's probably more to it, but the numbers trumpeted by BASSA make it hard to feel sorry for the community as a whole, and it's a GREAT shame that the brave few who voted against them, who have left the union, who never belonged to the union and who back BA will inevitably be lumped into the same deceitful, disgraceful and disingenuous group.
Last edited by flybymerchant; 15th May 2010 at 13:49. Reason: typos & rambling additions!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueUpGood
Trouble is, a bidding system means the BASSA reps can't cherry-pick the money trips, and with a simplified allowance system (hourly rate), there won't be any money trips.
Yet again, real progress in IR and CC T&C's has been hamstrung over the last few years because of the greed of BASSA reps only interested in themselves.
Harsh and untrue. Bassa's reps get their fair share of good trips AND bad. Atleast, they're rostered them. In the past, the reps have had the ability to be de-rostered should they need to undertake union/office duties. As they would all enjoy the same level of fair share as everyone else of the good trips and the bad, it stands to reason that the majority of trips they'd be de-rostered from would be at the lower end of the scale.
So while it might appear as though the reps are doing more good trips than others, it's not at all true - they're simply doing less of the bad ones because those make up the bulk of the average crew member's roster and they are therefore most likely to be removed in place of union work.
EDDY
HOLD ON A MINUTE!
you are saying the same thing but in a different way.
If BASSA reps dont go the bad trips (whatever they are) then they must be doing the good ones!
The fairest way forward is the monthly travel payment and there is no getting round that!
Originally Posted by BlueUpGood
Trouble is, a bidding system means the BASSA reps can't cherry-pick the money trips, and with a simplified allowance system (hourly rate), there won't be any money trips.
Yet again, real progress in IR and CC T&C's has been hamstrung over the last few years because of the greed of BASSA reps only interested in themselves.
Harsh and untrue. Bassa's reps get their fair share of good trips AND bad. Atleast, they're rostered them. In the past, the reps have had the ability to be de-rostered should they need to undertake union/office duties. As they would all enjoy the same level of fair share as everyone else of the good trips and the bad, it stands to reason that the majority of trips they'd be de-rostered from would be at the lower end of the scale.
So while it might appear as though the reps are doing more good trips than others, it's not at all true - they're simply doing less of the bad ones because those make up the bulk of the average crew member's roster and they are therefore most likely to be removed in place of union work.
EDDY
HOLD ON A MINUTE!
you are saying the same thing but in a different way.
If BASSA reps dont go the bad trips (whatever they are) then they must be doing the good ones!
The fairest way forward is the monthly travel payment and there is no getting round that!
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Add in an electronic swap system which would enable crew to pick up overtime trips and swap with colleagues to legal minimums, like the pilots have and it could be a deal maker.
It would probably self finance, sickness rates would plummet, less staff needed in Current Ops. and far less crew on 24 hr and standby.
3000 pilots have been on this system for a while and have any crew heard any significant whining? Believe me if the system was bad then there sure as hell would be.
It would probably self finance, sickness rates would plummet, less staff needed in Current Ops. and far less crew on 24 hr and standby.
3000 pilots have been on this system for a while and have any crew heard any significant whining? Believe me if the system was bad then there sure as hell would be.
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Originally Posted by reportcallsign
HOLD ON A MINUTE!
you are saying the same thing but in a different way.
If BASSA reps dont go the bad trips (whatever they are) then they must be doing the good ones!
The fairest way forward is the monthly travel payment and there is no getting round that!
you are saying the same thing but in a different way.
If BASSA reps dont go the bad trips (whatever they are) then they must be doing the good ones!
The fairest way forward is the monthly travel payment and there is no getting round that!
It would be absolutely sickening if the reps were given good trips as a result of their position by calling up and demanding them, for example. But that's not how it works.
The reps are, as far as I'm aware, rostered along with everyone else. Sometimes they'll get a good roster, other times they'll get a bad one.
Most of the time they'll get an average roster, much like the majority of other crew.
The reps have the luxury of being able to be de-rostered with some regularity to undertake union duties. I don't have a problem with them all sitting down together and working out when they each have bad trips and de-rostering themselves over that period. It's a perk of the position.
So no, I'm not saying the same thing as you. I'm saying that the reps are given their fair share of good trips and bad, but because of the way their union work gives them the luxury of being able to be de-rostered largely at a time of their choosing, they might avoid doing the bad work. But that doesn't mean they come by the good work through underhand tactics.
There are people who AREN'T reps who will routinely go sick for crappy trips and tend to only do nice work as a result but because they aren't in a 'public' position within the community, they aren't scritinised as much as the reps are.
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Originally Posted by flybymerchant
Eddy, surely the very fact that many cabin crew feel they don't get their fair share of the lucrative trips, together with the accusation that the union reps mainy seem to go to the best paid destinations should be enough for the union to support implementation of a fairer, more transparent system, like the pilots have, wouldn't you agree?
I just think that those who complain about rubbish rosters tend to have a rubbish run of trips lasting even as long as a few months and will use that opportunity to complain about their rosters.... However when those same people have a great run of trips six months later, they're very quiet and not quick to jump up saying "I'm getting more than my fair share of good stuff".
Personally, I do quite well with my rosters. My months all tend to include the same sort of trips. Two nightstops, a B2B and maybe a long range like an LA or SFO. Occasionally I'll get two or even THREE long range trips a month and it's GREAT! But then a few months later - like last month, infact - I'll get four nightstops in a row with 2 days off after each, and another decidedly average trip. But I won't complain because I feel it all averages out.
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For the record The Professional Cabin Crew Council is not connected to BALPA, BA management or any other union.
We are a Council not a union and we are a group of cabin crew trying to find a better way of conducting employee relations with BA. We believe that if Unite had accepted the offer last year , we would all now be in a much better position: we would have had an Optional MTP, we would have had a share scheme, a bonus option and an extra free ticket. The MTP would have served us well during the recent ash disruption. And the chances are that by working harder and progressively with BA we could have sought to deter the start of New Fleet.
Instead we are all in this absurd situation of having our futures put at risk, crew don't know who to trust, crew are afraid to be seen talking to pilots, we stand to lose more money, many have lost staff travel and huge amounts of pay and for what? We are all working to the new crew levels so what have
Unite achieved? Nada. Niente. Nothing. Rien. Zilch.
Jock - can you please provide evidence as to why the PCCC "is unlikely to achieve the majority of crew" rather than making such sweeping and inaccurate statements.
Eddy - I am not sure why you seem to hold it against us that we remain anonymous? I agree it is not ideal but regrettably with the mentality we are up against it is the only way at the moment. Besides, how many crew know who the Bassa or Amicus reps are? We are a large company with many people not knowing who their manager is.
Who we are won't really change anything, it's what we believe in and what we are trying to achieve that counts. Any crew member who does not support Unite should no longer be paying them otherwise you are funding their cause. Have you cancelled your Unite membership Eddy?
Joining the PCCC will cost crew nothing at the moment and may gain them everything. What have they got to lose?
I an BA crew and this is my own view and not that of BA.
We are a Council not a union and we are a group of cabin crew trying to find a better way of conducting employee relations with BA. We believe that if Unite had accepted the offer last year , we would all now be in a much better position: we would have had an Optional MTP, we would have had a share scheme, a bonus option and an extra free ticket. The MTP would have served us well during the recent ash disruption. And the chances are that by working harder and progressively with BA we could have sought to deter the start of New Fleet.
Instead we are all in this absurd situation of having our futures put at risk, crew don't know who to trust, crew are afraid to be seen talking to pilots, we stand to lose more money, many have lost staff travel and huge amounts of pay and for what? We are all working to the new crew levels so what have
Unite achieved? Nada. Niente. Nothing. Rien. Zilch.
Jock - can you please provide evidence as to why the PCCC "is unlikely to achieve the majority of crew" rather than making such sweeping and inaccurate statements.
Eddy - I am not sure why you seem to hold it against us that we remain anonymous? I agree it is not ideal but regrettably with the mentality we are up against it is the only way at the moment. Besides, how many crew know who the Bassa or Amicus reps are? We are a large company with many people not knowing who their manager is.
Who we are won't really change anything, it's what we believe in and what we are trying to achieve that counts. Any crew member who does not support Unite should no longer be paying them otherwise you are funding their cause. Have you cancelled your Unite membership Eddy?
Joining the PCCC will cost crew nothing at the moment and may gain them everything. What have they got to lose?
I an BA crew and this is my own view and not that of BA.
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Originally Posted by HiFlyer14
Eddy - I am not sure why you seem to hold it against us that we remain anonymous? I agree it is not ideal but regrettably with the mentality we are up against it is the only way at the moment. Besides, how many crew know who the Bassa or Amicus reps are? We are a large company with many people not knowing who their manager is.
I've come on here with my real name and location clear to see, and I've said that I went to work during the last strike and will do so again during the next one. I've had messages in my dropfile calling me a "scab" and asking me if I'm proud of myself (to which I'm pleased to answer : yes, I am - thanks for asking).
I think Bassa has an important place in this company but I'm convinced that we're in real danger of seeing another good offer being withdrawn by BA. That (along with another couple of reasons) is why I resigned my membership of Bassa (or tried to - the money is still being taken from my payslip
) and 'broke' the strike. I'm just an average crew member, not trying to lead or influence anyone else and not trying to set up a new body offering crew 'union' representation. But my name is out there and I'm suffering some backlash as a result.
That you're trying to set up a new body of crew to be involved in negotiations with the company but aren't prepared to tell us who you are doesn't sit well with me.
The Bassa reps are, in my mind, selfless and dedicated people who put their careers on the line regularly when dealing with a notoriously difficult management team.
I don't agree with the cause on this occasion which is why I haven't supported the industrial action, but that doesn't detract for one second from the respect and admiration I have for the union's reps for doing what they do so publicly.
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"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely"
Do other Cabin Crew feel that 'it averages out', or is it true that it's the same old faces in the same old places?
Even if it's only a 'myth' that the same people get to go to Narita sometimes twice a month, and other crew don't even get one in a whole year's worth of rosters, surely it's enough to engender negative morale?
The pilots' bidding works on a seniority based system. We all accept that we will have more control over our roster and greater ability to go to 'better' destinations as time goes on, it's a good system.
Also, because of the natural variety amongst a large group of people, different people want different things. The company releases 200+ lines of work each month for my fleet.....we all prioritise them electronically. We are able to, for example, select and prioritise lines by 'weekends off'. I arrange the 200+ lines top to bottom and, having been in the company for only 4 years I always get my line within the FIRST 10 out of 200! Often it's in the first 5. This increases my job satisfaction. There's no reason why the CC union wouldn't want this increased flexibility and TRANSPARENCY (for the majority) unless the guys at the top were on the take, IMHO.
Could morale benefit from everyone KNOWING they're being treated fairly? I think so. Do the Union want a happy workforce? No, it would appear not....how else would they 'offload' their bad trips to less important people? How else would they be able to justify so many days every month in the 'office', requiring them to dump badly paid trips, whilst also cashing in on the double expenses whammy of being PAID to do union work?! Do BALPA reps get paid?....nope
Even if it's only a 'myth' that the same people get to go to Narita sometimes twice a month, and other crew don't even get one in a whole year's worth of rosters, surely it's enough to engender negative morale?
The pilots' bidding works on a seniority based system. We all accept that we will have more control over our roster and greater ability to go to 'better' destinations as time goes on, it's a good system.
Also, because of the natural variety amongst a large group of people, different people want different things. The company releases 200+ lines of work each month for my fleet.....we all prioritise them electronically. We are able to, for example, select and prioritise lines by 'weekends off'. I arrange the 200+ lines top to bottom and, having been in the company for only 4 years I always get my line within the FIRST 10 out of 200! Often it's in the first 5. This increases my job satisfaction. There's no reason why the CC union wouldn't want this increased flexibility and TRANSPARENCY (for the majority) unless the guys at the top were on the take, IMHO.
Could morale benefit from everyone KNOWING they're being treated fairly? I think so. Do the Union want a happy workforce? No, it would appear not....how else would they 'offload' their bad trips to less important people? How else would they be able to justify so many days every month in the 'office', requiring them to dump badly paid trips, whilst also cashing in on the double expenses whammy of being PAID to do union work?! Do BALPA reps get paid?....nope
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: UK
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@keepthembodiesmoving
BlueUpGood, do I understand correctly that there currently is no bidding system for cc in BA?