British Airways vs. BASSA (Airline Staff Only)
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Eddys post "Giza, I was passing through 5 on the way home today and I asked a question of a chap in a high-vis jacket. The answer came in the most broad of Welsh accents I've ever heard.
I asked whether the chap had come from CWL to help out and he said he had. I thanked him, shook the man's hand and was on my way. He seemed genuinely chuffed to have any sort of recognition because, god knows, he's unlikely to get anything official from the company."
I was doing CSP and I met the man you are talking about, three guys doing two days at LHR backing BA, nice guys, and I am sure he appreciated your acknowledgement, thank you.
I was Airside today, patrolling the the baggage belts, most did not want to talk, but a few resonded to my smiles ( well one does not want to be to pushy).
There still seems to be a nerviousness, with one lady really concerned about the trip back to the car park, I assured her that we were covering the full journey to work and back to the car park, she seemed less than convinced.
A lot of the crew I spoke to seemed to be acting up to to purser or CSD, does that mean thae majority of strikers are senior crew.
Anyway weekend off and back supporting on Monday
I asked whether the chap had come from CWL to help out and he said he had. I thanked him, shook the man's hand and was on my way. He seemed genuinely chuffed to have any sort of recognition because, god knows, he's unlikely to get anything official from the company."
I was doing CSP and I met the man you are talking about, three guys doing two days at LHR backing BA, nice guys, and I am sure he appreciated your acknowledgement, thank you.
I was Airside today, patrolling the the baggage belts, most did not want to talk, but a few resonded to my smiles ( well one does not want to be to pushy).
There still seems to be a nerviousness, with one lady really concerned about the trip back to the car park, I assured her that we were covering the full journey to work and back to the car park, she seemed less than convinced.
A lot of the crew I spoke to seemed to be acting up to to purser or CSD, does that mean thae majority of strikers are senior crew.
Anyway weekend off and back supporting on Monday
Last edited by giza; 28th May 2010 at 21:57.
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... just like the steward who rang a radio station today to register his fear about flying with crew that did not know what they were doing and he was considering going on strike as he felt unsafe flying with VC, I know exactly what he means! I would not hope for any help in an emergency situation from any of them I am afraid.
So, more BASSA intimidation
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Flew longhaul destination Tuesday, back yesterday. Twelve crew - 3 of which were VCs and one temp.
It was first flight for the VCs, they worked very hard - but it was also hard work for us as we had to explain a lot, and obviously give guidance on the service etc. We did have a medical on board which main crew dealt with. Anyway, I do believe the VCs tried their best and wanted to do their best - but think they had a lot of respect for the job and us - and all 3 did say they could never do it full time!
I really don't know what the answer is anymore, I really love this job and its all I ever wanted to do. Guess we are replaceable..............
Hope this gets sorted soon ?!
It was first flight for the VCs, they worked very hard - but it was also hard work for us as we had to explain a lot, and obviously give guidance on the service etc. We did have a medical on board which main crew dealt with. Anyway, I do believe the VCs tried their best and wanted to do their best - but think they had a lot of respect for the job and us - and all 3 did say they could never do it full time!
I really don't know what the answer is anymore, I really love this job and its all I ever wanted to do. Guess we are replaceable..............
Hope this gets sorted soon ?!
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Pickets
Was anyone on this forum at the picket outside waterside today, they did not look like crew, more like socialist workers, since when has a skinhead with a central mohican been accepable for crew !!!!
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just wanted to say Dixie Dean, all professional cabin crew should be up to date and recent with SEP! we are there for SAFETY and SECURITY first as you will agree - so everybody should know their SEP inside out - doesn't matter whether you passed SEP a year ago or yesterday.
Please don't think I am having a go at you but just felt that was important fact.
Please don't think I am having a go at you but just felt that was important fact.
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Is that Duncan's ego against the ego of BA, or just his?
Willie Walsh does not need to 'deal' with BASSA on a personal level. He has, through his departmental managers, achieved cost savings in ALL departments except the Cabin Crew.
To those of us who have witnessed the shenanigans that BASSA have thrown up over the past 20 odd years this comes as no surprise. The audacity that a member of management, or even the CEO, would have the balls to question/withstand the wrath of BASSA was unthinkable, hence BASSA have made it into a head banging competition.
When this is all done and dusted I think you will find that the currently confidential business plan, when publicised, is quite clear and is being followed quite well.
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VCC
I spoke with a CC member today who flew with her first VCC, a loader, she was full of praise saying he was very professional, looked the part, worked well with the pax, and above all worked "bloody hard" all trip.
Well done Mr loader, but be careful the strikers are looking to sh*g you
, accorded to a recent chant.
Well done Mr loader, but be careful the strikers are looking to sh*g you
, accorded to a recent chant.
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The law is weak when it come to employees, but I believe that there is a legal challenge with staff travel.
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To each and every established cabin crew poster who choose to question the ability of our volunteer cabin crew to perform on the day I would ask:
What were you like on your first operational trip or supernumerary?
We know the answer and it could best be described as "not good".
After a few trips one became more familar and in a short while you found your feet as the volunteers certainly will.
Just like some posters on this site, I have witnessed many performances at the annual SEPT in the mock-up at Cranebank that were certainly less than optimum. The debrief was very "touchy feely" and the trainers seemed less than willing to actually single out crew members who were lacking. I left feeling that on the day it would have been a disaster. Furthermore, do crew members really take the half hourly checks on longhaul sectors seriously enough, I would suggest that many do not and fail to comprehend that amongst other things they have a fire-watch role during these periods of relative inactivity.
Perhaps it is time to stop singling out volunteer crew on their performance as I feel they are absolutely no different to "new entry" crew and will certainly find their feet in the next couple of trips and given their enthusiasm will certainly get up to speed in record time.
What were you like on your first operational trip or supernumerary?
We know the answer and it could best be described as "not good".
After a few trips one became more familar and in a short while you found your feet as the volunteers certainly will.
Just like some posters on this site, I have witnessed many performances at the annual SEPT in the mock-up at Cranebank that were certainly less than optimum. The debrief was very "touchy feely" and the trainers seemed less than willing to actually single out crew members who were lacking. I left feeling that on the day it would have been a disaster. Furthermore, do crew members really take the half hourly checks on longhaul sectors seriously enough, I would suggest that many do not and fail to comprehend that amongst other things they have a fire-watch role during these periods of relative inactivity.
Perhaps it is time to stop singling out volunteer crew on their performance as I feel they are absolutely no different to "new entry" crew and will certainly find their feet in the next couple of trips and given their enthusiasm will certainly get up to speed in record time.
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That is as it should be, but it is Mr Walsh who is crusading no return of a benefit to striking crew.
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I believe that there is a legal challenge with staff travel.
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No! I suspect. It's because the Unions realise that they have had their collective arses kicked with regard to the 'business' argument. They are now whipping up a storm re 'perks' because that is all that is left for them to 'fight' over.
GF
GF
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Hi ZILLI,
I've been in three times during strikes now and on none of my flights have I worked with VCCs (on my last trip there were two in the briefing room but they were removed after 16 normal crew showed up for the trip).
HOWEVER, I personally have no fear of working with these people. They have all gone through SEP just as we have and the company ensures that there are sufficient people onboard to execute the medical action plan effectively.
I wonder whether you'd have a similar fear of getting on a plane with, for example, two new entrant crew?
I don't. I trust our SEP instructors to make sure that the only people who get on our places as operating crew are fully capable of doing what's required of them in an emergency.
Whether they're good at the service or not doesn't bother me. If they're good, great; but if they're bad, so be it. The fact is they are there, and they are helping us get our customers - my friend's mum, my other friend's cousin who is heading off to get married in Hawaii (via LAX) - get where they want to be.
I've been in three times during strikes now and on none of my flights have I worked with VCCs (on my last trip there were two in the briefing room but they were removed after 16 normal crew showed up for the trip).
HOWEVER, I personally have no fear of working with these people. They have all gone through SEP just as we have and the company ensures that there are sufficient people onboard to execute the medical action plan effectively.
I wonder whether you'd have a similar fear of getting on a plane with, for example, two new entrant crew?
I don't. I trust our SEP instructors to make sure that the only people who get on our places as operating crew are fully capable of doing what's required of them in an emergency.
Whether they're good at the service or not doesn't bother me. If they're good, great; but if they're bad, so be it. The fact is they are there, and they are helping us get our customers - my friend's mum, my other friend's cousin who is heading off to get married in Hawaii (via LAX) - get where they want to be.
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As a layman and no more, its time scales. It is like being dismissed for carrying out protected industrial action. It is automatically unfair, but it takes time to get to that position.
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Removal of Staff Travel
It is broadly accepted that Unite/Bassa can start an action but will get nowhere under current UK law and will have to pursue their case forward to the European Court and will probably get a more sympathetic hearing there.
Timescale for that would be about 3-4 years and yes, they may very well succeed at the European Court but it would be ground breaking legislation.
Timescale for that would be about 3-4 years and yes, they may very well succeed at the European Court but it would be ground breaking legislation.
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BASSA Update
Day 12 at the Bedfont Big Brother house
Good news and bad news...
The biggest day so far, without doubt. Good news: housemates arrived by the hundred and seem to have decided that more flair was required as regards the catering on offer; crew came equipped to eat, with silverware and table clothes in evidence on some of the outside tables!
Plates of home baked cakes and muffins also arrived by the dozen. The above, supplemented by a diet of daily bacon sarnies, means it’s fair to say that a “Three Day Bedfont” plays havoc on the waist line; people are proud to wear their XXXX T-shirts but to be honest, fairly soon, they won’t need them, the expanding “Bedfont paunch” will probably identify them just as easily!
Two thousand T-shirts have been given out already, so with the above in mind, we have had to order more for next week in XXL and even XXXL sizes - and for once, they are not just for Hamed!
Highlights...
...The colourful and noisy departure of the open top bus for Speakers Corner in central London, where they staged a mute protest at a location famed for promoting free speech; fifty crew made the point that they were in effect “gagged” from telling their true stories to the public at large, by a management that threatens to sack them if they do. They protested in silence, each wearing a gag.
...The “exuberant” arrival of the Manchester commuters who had hired their own transport to bring a large group to the picket lines from the North; they quite literally fell out of the bus, one or two crew purchases for the worse, and received a warm welcome and a standing ovation from the whole of Bedfont.
Lasting memory... the kindness and determination of crew...
...The Manchester commuters that had decided to collect money onboard the bus to donate to a purser who lives in Washington DC and is paying around £500 per trip to get to work and is now digging deep to pay for her own hotel so she could be at Bedfont.
...A couple who live in Portugal that have both lost their staff travel but paid for full fare tickets and hotel rooms, again just to be at Bedfont.
These are truly humbling stories - especially when some of our own colleagues would not even drive just a few short miles to join us.
And now, the not so good news: While crew demanded a fair settlement in the sunshine, Derek Simpson met with Mr. Walsh under the auspices of ACAS and was again assisted by Brendan Barber from the TUC.
Unite Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson said:
"Willie Walsh is blocking a deal to end the strike. He has refused to re-instate travel concessions in full despite Unite making it clear that the union would suspend the strike if he did so. It would cost BA nothing to reinstate these travel concessions yet Willie Walsh is prepared to see the strike continue, putting the travel plans of thousands of passengers at risk and costing BA over GBP100 million over the course of this dispute.
Unite have made it absolutely clear that we remain available at anytime day or night to meet again with the company."
It now looks certain that Sunday’s strike will go ahead as planned, a fair solution remains out of reach as Mr. Walsh does not, at the moment, appear to want one. His desire for conflict with us continues to outweigh his concern for the state of our airline, or indeed our passengers.
We ask him to reconsider and to mend the deep divisions that are being created and get us back to being “the worlds favourite airline” with the world’s best crew.
Sunday is family day, to encourage an early attendance, free breakfasts will be served for all those who attend before 10am. Free breakfast = picket duty!!!!
See you there and for all those who played their part at Bedfont this week and to all those who were equally as brave by supporting our industrial action in their own homes by going on strike, thank you...
Good news and bad news...
The biggest day so far, without doubt. Good news: housemates arrived by the hundred and seem to have decided that more flair was required as regards the catering on offer; crew came equipped to eat, with silverware and table clothes in evidence on some of the outside tables!
Plates of home baked cakes and muffins also arrived by the dozen. The above, supplemented by a diet of daily bacon sarnies, means it’s fair to say that a “Three Day Bedfont” plays havoc on the waist line; people are proud to wear their XXXX T-shirts but to be honest, fairly soon, they won’t need them, the expanding “Bedfont paunch” will probably identify them just as easily!
Two thousand T-shirts have been given out already, so with the above in mind, we have had to order more for next week in XXL and even XXXL sizes - and for once, they are not just for Hamed!
Highlights...
...The colourful and noisy departure of the open top bus for Speakers Corner in central London, where they staged a mute protest at a location famed for promoting free speech; fifty crew made the point that they were in effect “gagged” from telling their true stories to the public at large, by a management that threatens to sack them if they do. They protested in silence, each wearing a gag.
...The “exuberant” arrival of the Manchester commuters who had hired their own transport to bring a large group to the picket lines from the North; they quite literally fell out of the bus, one or two crew purchases for the worse, and received a warm welcome and a standing ovation from the whole of Bedfont.
Lasting memory... the kindness and determination of crew...
...The Manchester commuters that had decided to collect money onboard the bus to donate to a purser who lives in Washington DC and is paying around £500 per trip to get to work and is now digging deep to pay for her own hotel so she could be at Bedfont.
...A couple who live in Portugal that have both lost their staff travel but paid for full fare tickets and hotel rooms, again just to be at Bedfont.
These are truly humbling stories - especially when some of our own colleagues would not even drive just a few short miles to join us.
And now, the not so good news: While crew demanded a fair settlement in the sunshine, Derek Simpson met with Mr. Walsh under the auspices of ACAS and was again assisted by Brendan Barber from the TUC.
Unite Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson said:
"Willie Walsh is blocking a deal to end the strike. He has refused to re-instate travel concessions in full despite Unite making it clear that the union would suspend the strike if he did so. It would cost BA nothing to reinstate these travel concessions yet Willie Walsh is prepared to see the strike continue, putting the travel plans of thousands of passengers at risk and costing BA over GBP100 million over the course of this dispute.
Unite have made it absolutely clear that we remain available at anytime day or night to meet again with the company."
It now looks certain that Sunday’s strike will go ahead as planned, a fair solution remains out of reach as Mr. Walsh does not, at the moment, appear to want one. His desire for conflict with us continues to outweigh his concern for the state of our airline, or indeed our passengers.
We ask him to reconsider and to mend the deep divisions that are being created and get us back to being “the worlds favourite airline” with the world’s best crew.
Sunday is family day, to encourage an early attendance, free breakfasts will be served for all those who attend before 10am. Free breakfast = picket duty!!!!
See you there and for all those who played their part at Bedfont this week and to all those who were equally as brave by supporting our industrial action in their own homes by going on strike, thank you...
An interesting sign off though, very revealing that they are having to encourage families and offer free breakfasts to bolster the numbers at Bedfont over the weekend. It's looking pretty quiet there on Sky News - on the increasingly rare occasions they bother to mention it.
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this i find amazing - I flew earlier this week with normal crew but the Purser was VCC
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Q..."The Manchester commuters that had decided to collect money onboard the bus to donate to a purser who lives in Washington DC and is paying around £500 per trip to get to work and is now digging deep to pay for her own hotel so she could be at Bedfont."
So they are supporting a non striker at Bedfont ?
So they are supporting a non striker at Bedfont ?