British Airways vs. BASSA (Airline Staff Only)

[Watersidewonker]

Here are a few facts for you all 75% strikers on flight yesterday and 80% today's flight. All will go for another strike if need be contary to the little man's message to his followers. This game of chess has many more moves yet looking forward to topping up my tan at Bedfont.

[Openclimb]

Have you asked your union when they think the next ballot might be held and what it might be over?

Mu Ha Ha Ha Ha.....

[ranger07]

Watersidewonker

Here are a few facts for you all 75% strikers on flight yesterday and 80% today's flight. All will go for another strike if need be contary to the little man's message to his followers. This game of chess has many more moves yet looking forward to topping up my tan at Bedfont.

Why do you work for this Airline? Please allow those of us that are loyal to the airline and our customers just to get on with the job please.

[Thunderbug]

Watersidewonker

How can we be certain that those crew were telling the truth?

Having a well balanced level-headed debate is not your forte - so they may have told you what you wanted to hear.

Many non-striking crew I have flown with pretend that they support the strike so they have an easier life and don't get the hassle from the XXXX brigade.

[Meal Chucker]

Here are a few facts for you all 75% strikers on flight yesterday and 80% today's flight. All will go for another strike if need be contary to the little man's message to his followers. This game of chess has many more moves yet looking forward to topping up my tan at Bedfont.

Not according to the daily Mail -

We can't afford to keep on striking: BA cabin crew turn their fire on union militants | Mail Online

[Right Engine]

Been doing a bit of subtle bullying have you, WWW?
If you ask any crew in the presence of others 'Did you?', the answer you get will always be the one that is easiest not necessarily the truth.
I am on a trip where I asked the crew to refrain from asking that particular question. Result? Only 1 failed to make it to the hotel bar. I can conclude that 90% of my team can enjoy the presence of their Skipper over a pint!

[Chigley]

Watersideworker

Here's a few more reliable facts - Whilst your topping up your tan at BFC, we will be be operating an 80-100% schedule, more VCC's currently being recruited, contracts going out to ground staff and more temps being called to join the team 'flying the flag'. Sounds like BASSA should take up a different game, chess really doesn't seem like its their thing - with these facts it will be 'check mate' to Willie in no time.

[Hotel Mode]

Or the close friend of mine who went on the first half of a back to back on a strike gap day. Cue 11 crew trying to out militant each other on the E coast nightstop saying they "obviously" werent taking the hotel at LHR and werent turning up for 2nd half. Imagine their surprise when 9 out of 11 turned up at the following mornings strike day briefing.

That sort of thing goes a long way to explaining why the likes of WW are so totally and utterly deluded about the strikes support. The majority of crew workes and are scared of the bullying from WW and his like.

[Chijmes]

Not on my flight!

Just back from a 767 trip. 7 crew. 5 NON strikers, 1 firm striker, and 1 who has just been on strike for the last time. He/She is voting NO if another ballot turns up.

[64K]

The funny thing of course are those people who were on the picket line and then operated on the following strike day. And there seem to be quite a few of those... Then there are those who are too scared to admit they came to work. I genuinely do believe that the non-strikers are in the majority on this one.

(Views above are my own and not those of my employer)

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by MissM

It goes both ways. I met crew at Bedfont FC in May and earlier this month who crossed the picket line in March but felt awful about it

You are absolutely right, Miss M. Infact, a friend of mine is in that number (those who worked first time around but went on strike the next).

However, where these people differ from those who went on strike and then went to work is in their reasoning.

All of the people I know who worked>striked did so because they didn't feel comfortable working, were scared of going to work again or didn't like that they were working with minimum crew.

The majority of those I know who striked>worked did so because they recognised that Bassa was fighting for a lost cause, that they had messed up many months ago by not accepting previous good offers and because they were "fed up" of the way the union had been running the 'campaign'.

Only one of the two groups really altered their actions because of a shift in beliefs as opposed to for convenience in one form or another.

I think that's quite significant. It shows that while BA is gaining support, Bassa isn't - it's just gaining people almost by default.

[Eddy]

LOTS of talk over the past couple of pages about meal allowances being lost as work goes to New Fleet, but let's remember (and christ, we have to be bloody careful here) that meal allowances are intended to be spent down route.

They are NOT meant to be brought home.

So we had best leave meal allowances well out of any (public) discussion about our renumeration package, lest HMRC take another look at our money and try to take more from us.

As someone who tends to spend the majority of his meal allowances while down route (I didn't take this job to sit in my hotel room eating pot noodles), I've already taken a hit because of the obsession of some crew for taking meal allowances home as untaxed income.

Let's not make things even worse.

On a slightly different subject.... I'm in the middle of a Back 2 Back right now and on my crew is one particularly pro-strike lady. She's very pleasant and seems to be respectful of my choice to work.

Following one nasty look from her (perhaps not deliberate) I made an effort to initiate converation about the situation and I explained my reasons for working and listened carefully as she explained hers for not.

We both seem to have a mutual respect for one another's choices here : let's hope the rest of our colleagues, on both sides, can be as mature.

- I'm also wearing my "I'm Backing BA" lanyard but it seems to have gone largely unnoticed.

[poltergiest]

Maybe some of us HAVE to eat pot noodles down route Eddy in order to take home our allowances to add to our basic salaries to survive. Did you think of that ??? Sorry if you took a hit on your tax in order for others to meet the repayments on their mortgages or to pay their bills!!

[poltergiest]

Oh pleeeeease! How pathetic. We are all adults aren't we? Get a bloody backbone! Don't say you're striking if you're not and vice versa. If you are are going to go into work, just do it. You may not want to shout if from the rafters (hmmmm, I wonder why? Bullying? No. Shame? Maybe?) However, don't lie and say you aren't going to work when you know damn well you are. Have the courage of your convictions, whatever they may be.

[poltergiest]

Well, it's late and I must go get my beauty sleep. I will just leave you all with this.....The fo who has been suspended for writing derogatory comments on fb? Well, he's been suspended so where did "backing ba" get him? Also, a crew member who added likewise comments on his page was also suspended. She was a strikebreaker. She rang BASSA for help.

I am a striker. I am not saying I do not back BA. I do. I have worked, loyally, for this company for 20 years. I would love to work another 20 years for BA. I am not saying everthing BASSA does is right. But god help me, to all the crew reading this forum, it is BASSA that has our best interests in heart. You may need them one day, but that day may be too late. Who will help you then?

[dilldog01]

"Or the close friend of mine who went on the first half of a back to back on a strike gap day. Cue 11 crew trying to out militant each other on the E coast nightstop saying they "obviously" werent taking the hotel at LHR and werent turning up for 2nd half. Imagine their surprise when 9 out of 11 turned up at the following mornings strike day briefing.

That sort of thing goes a long way to explaining why the likes of WW are so totally and utterly deluded about the strikes support. The majority of crew workes and are scared of the bullying from WW and his like."


Or the phrase "all mouth and no trousers" could apply

[Hand Solo]

Well, it's late and I must go get my beauty sleep. I will just leave you all with this.....The fo who has been suspended for writing derogatory comments on fb? Well, he's been suspended so where did "backing ba" get him?

Can you point me to the reference which says that those who back BA will be exempted from normal disciplinary policy? No, didn't think so. Can you still say that BA is unfair in tackling the facebook crew when they have also suspended pilots?

Also, a crew member who added likewise comments on his page was also suspended. She was a strikebreaker. She rang BASSA for help.

Can you point me to the clause in the BASSA constitution that says a member who does not strike is not entitled to union protection? Even though the union are still taking their money? No, didn't think so either.

[malcolmf]

I would be worried as 80% of their income relies on meal allowances. Only 20% of their income is protected through the MTP.

I honestly don't want to pick over every word that MissM has written, but this statement is actually a very common attitude. There is also the little matter of the salary paid every month (it may well be too little but that's another argument). We have all seen the "charity" trip where crew believe they aren't being paid to do an afternoon MAN. A friend of my wife was talking to someone who said they couldn't live on £2.40 an hour. Below the minimum wage!!
It would be far better and more long sighted if BASSA had managed to negotiate far more of the odd payments into annual salary and therefore smoothing out the peaks and troughs they currently experience.

[Locked door]

Poltergeists post just demonstrates the crass double standards of a lot of striking crew.

BA are bullies because they put the 'facebook crew' through the disciplinary procedure and lets strike to get them off the hook, but, ha ha backing BA didn't help the 'facebook pilots' and they deserve everything they get.

What they fail to see is a fair employer that treats all employees the same. It just doesn't fit into their perception.

And yes, if you need to bring your meal allowances home you ARE living beyond your means. The reason they are taxed less than your basic salary is that they are intended to be paid and spent abroad. Bring them home and as far as I'm concerned the taxman should have his share. If you need them to pay your mortgage/car loan/credit card, then those bills are too big.

On my last trip the CSD told me she worked, but the crew she striked. Same goes for most strike breakers. If they would just grow some balls the strikers would rapidly realise they're in the minority. But these are probably the same people who voted yes to a strike and then came to work, they only say what other people want to hear, not what they actually believe. No wonder BASSA think they can win an the company KNOW they can.

Time for this madness to end.

LD

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by poltergiest

Maybe some of us HAVE to eat pot noodles down route Eddy in order to take home our allowances to add to our basic salaries to survive. Did you think of that ??? Sorry if you took a hit on your tax in order for others to meet the repayments on their mortgages or to pay their bills!!

Sorry P, but nobody gets any sympathy from me if they need their meal allowances to pay their mortgage.

If I ate pot noodles on every trip and never went out for a beer, I could be living in a much nicer house, driving a much nicer car and could have bought that new computer I was looking at in the Walmart in Philly yesterday.

Remember that meal allowances are the most fluid element of our earnings. If the world's currency markets collapse and the £ gains strength, we could see our meal allowance earnings half.... We're doing well at the moment because the £ is worth jack-sh*t so our allowances paid in other currencies equate to more money in your pocket should you choose to take them home.

But taking on commitments for outgoings based on this is a dangerous little game.

Meal allowances are not to be taken home (in any great quantity). Of course it's impossible not to occasionally have some left over, but to bring it all back all the time is kinda asking for trouble. It's why the tax man is so interested in us.

Alas, I fear we're straying off topic slightly.

But this hilights another area where the pilots have played a blinder - they negotiated themselves onto the hourly rate with, for many of them, enhanced basic salaries to make up any potential short fall.

HMRC has absolutely NO INTEREST how that money is spent. It's taxed at one rate and they can spend as little or as much of it down route as possible. We're always going to have the cloud hanging over us of HMRC wanting to get their grubby paws back into our pockets, and if people maintain the attitude you're expressed so publicly, it's only going to lead to tears for us.