British Airways vs. BASSA (Airline Staff Only)
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The sad thing is, no matter how this ends, the BASSA hardliners still won't accept that the Union is in any way at fault. Instead, they will blame those of us that did turn up for work for any consequences they and we may now suffer, accusing us of being cowards, spineless or "looking to buy a backbone from DF".
It won't occur to them to wonder why so many crew turned their backs on the Union this time. Maybe if, for once, they did look inwards rather than always looking outwards, we'd be halfway to having a decent union to take us forward and look after the interests of ALL of us.
It won't occur to them to wonder why so many crew turned their backs on the Union this time. Maybe if, for once, they did look inwards rather than always looking outwards, we'd be halfway to having a decent union to take us forward and look after the interests of ALL of us.
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It's certainly no rumour. Text just sent round by BASSA:
"If U ring BA 4 work B4 next planned trip BA will ask U 2 come in 4 1 hr 2 sign no strike pledge. This is illegal. Plse refuse. We will take lgl advice."
Did they not think to take legal advice on this matter, that has been discussed on this thread for months, before tonight? Unbelievable.
"If U ring BA 4 work B4 next planned trip BA will ask U 2 come in 4 1 hr 2 sign no strike pledge. This is illegal. Plse refuse. We will take lgl advice."
Did they not think to take legal advice on this matter, that has been discussed on this thread for months, before tonight? Unbelievable.
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It's certainly no rumour. Text just sent round by BASSA:
Also, I'm working in Europe House and have not heared anything about a no-strike-pledge being drafted. And I have many eyes and ears
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Oh dear, many people did say on here not long ago that BASSAs legal questions and answers sheet was very vague and not very thought out well! If this is true about the people being asked to go to sign this piece of paper, BASSA have ALOT to answer for. There are many innocent people who thought they best strike as they either believed the BASSA spin or just were to frightened to cross a picket. And if these get caught in trouble it is largely BASSAs fault.
And it is true jetset lady, the union won't take any responsibility if this strike means we have to pay the money we lost. They will say it is Willie's fault, us who came into work, or I wouldn't put it past them to blame the customers, or the news! But whoever they blame, they will not accept responsibility for leading us in this mess!
And it is true jetset lady, the union won't take any responsibility if this strike means we have to pay the money we lost. They will say it is Willie's fault, us who came into work, or I wouldn't put it past them to blame the customers, or the news! But whoever they blame, they will not accept responsibility for leading us in this mess!
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numbers of cabin crew on a plane ...
Does this strike show that Willie could reduce more crew off the long haul planes and still get the service done ?!
Show's what can be done with a 'can do' attitude
Show's what can be done with a 'can do' attitude
Last edited by License to Fly; 22nd Mar 2010 at 20:57.
the lunatic fringe
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British Airways has today commented on the financial impact of the industrial action and stated that the company’s profit outlook is unchanged.
PROFIT OUTLOOK UNCHANGED
Contingency plans for the three days of industrial disruption have been very successful.
Over the first two days, the airline operated 273 or 78 per cent of its longhaul flights and 442 or 50 per cent of its shorthaul flights.
Seat factors were good at 68 per cent in longhaul and 69 per cent in shorthaul. Club World seat factor was just under 60 per cent.
In addition the airline operated 70 “positioning” flights, which in most cases carried cargo, to return passengers home with minimum disruption.
Pleased with the number of customers carried
We started the weekend with 82,573 bookings for the two days after our reservation teams had worked with our customers to reduce bookings (including accommodating some passengers for travel in the days leading up to the weekend) to reflect the smaller flying programme.
In fact, over the two days we carried 86,262 passengers, due to late additional bookings.
Financial impact
This strong operational performance made possible by dedicated BA staff has significantly reduced the financial impact of the disruption. Current best estimate is that the 3-day industrial action will cost £7 million a day. Assessment of the cost of potential future industrial action can only be made after the event. As a result full year earnings expectations to March 31, 2010 remains broadly unchanged.
Contingency plans for the three days of industrial disruption have been very successful.
Over the first two days, the airline operated 273 or 78 per cent of its longhaul flights and 442 or 50 per cent of its shorthaul flights.
Seat factors were good at 68 per cent in longhaul and 69 per cent in shorthaul. Club World seat factor was just under 60 per cent.
In addition the airline operated 70 “positioning” flights, which in most cases carried cargo, to return passengers home with minimum disruption.
Pleased with the number of customers carried
We started the weekend with 82,573 bookings for the two days after our reservation teams had worked with our customers to reduce bookings (including accommodating some passengers for travel in the days leading up to the weekend) to reflect the smaller flying programme.
In fact, over the two days we carried 86,262 passengers, due to late additional bookings.
Financial impact
This strong operational performance made possible by dedicated BA staff has significantly reduced the financial impact of the disruption. Current best estimate is that the 3-day industrial action will cost £7 million a day. Assessment of the cost of potential future industrial action can only be made after the event. As a result full year earnings expectations to March 31, 2010 remains broadly unchanged.
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Originally Posted by bacabincrew
For your information the Gatwick Cabin Crew picket was planned to be there until circa 11:00 am and was then bussed up to Bedfont to join the 100's of other Cabin Crew members.
Bury your head in the sand if you wish, but please be open to other possibilities and the spin of the union.
I ask you one question: why is it that the party asking to re-open negotiation is Unite and not BA if everything is going Unite's way?
PS - I don't expect a coherent answer.
Juan Tugoh,
= No pay for the entire time they are not at work! They forget that at their peril.
13 please,
Relax! Read carefully what I wrote:
Not all of senior cabin crew are like that, I grant you, but there most certainly are a senior cadre that play the system, garnering lucrative trips for themselves. It does happen.
License to Fly,
The flights during the strike have not been running a full service - e.g. hot meals replaced by simplified 'cold' catering. Not something that BA would want to continue long-term, but is has made the service manageable such that passengers can get to their destinations. That is what the entire schedule should be about - doing the best for the passengers! "Fly To Serve!"
No promise = no return to work.
13 please,
How do you come to your conclusion about how senior the crew were on the different trips???
.... more senior cabin crew, who are more likely to be staunch BASSA supporters ....
License to Fly,
Does this strike show that Willie could reduce more crew off the long haul planes and still get the service done ?!
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It seems from the BASSA and CF that some crew have been rostered flights for tomorrow and some have been rostered to report to Cranebank for an hour. I wonder why that is? We knew last week from an ESS that a Cranebank duty 'could' be rostered in which case, go in civies but that has only materialised on the roster as of tomorrow. Why would some striking crew have CB and others a flight? 
Also, bizzarely they have also been whipped into a frenzy as they believe the those who did report to work have walked into a trap (i.e. by reporting to work, we have accepted the imposition of a few fleet and agree to the T&C's) and are going to be the first ones on the new fleet whilst they - strikers will escape untouched and return to their normal walking conditions. Um? I don't think so.
Also, bizzarely they have also been whipped into a frenzy as they believe the those who did report to work have walked into a trap (i.e. by reporting to work, we have accepted the imposition of a few fleet and agree to the T&C's) and are going to be the first ones on the new fleet whilst they - strikers will escape untouched and return to their normal walking conditions. Um? I don't think so.
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On BASSA forum there are lots of strikers who have xxxxx on their rosters for next few days, most shorthaul crew apparently have the same trips as published but some have had non ops. What is so unbelievable is everyone is getting in a tizz over do they check their roster, ring in. I have heard crew saying if they ring in they will have to go to Cranebank to sign that no strike clause, don't go in for that signing, some are saying that will be unofficial actions. Some are saying don't ring until the morning, some are saying don't ring until midnight (although people do need to go to bed!) Some are saying don't come in until next trip but you can ring if you want to come in before your next trip.
What I find hilarious about this is why hasn't UNITE provided clear advice for striking crew?? I know they said not to go to CBK to sign that paper but what about crew who haven't been told to go to CBK?
I think there will be lots of disruption over the next few days...
What I find hilarious about this is why hasn't UNITE provided clear advice for striking crew?? I know they said not to go to CBK to sign that paper but what about crew who haven't been told to go to CBK?
I think there will be lots of disruption over the next few days...
Last edited by SlideBustle; 3rd Apr 2010 at 21:50.
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What is the "legal" point of getting crew to sign a no strike agreement?
Surely it is meaningless as striking crew are in breach of contract anyway. If they sign it, but then strike anyway, aren't they simply in breach of the new contract, and hence nothing has changed? It would be a breach of the BASSA/BA recognition agreement since it would be a contract not negotiated with BASSA, so then the question arises can a BASSA member sign a contract not negotiated with their union without the union being, er, in dispute with BA!
The only real point I can see is it gives BA the opportunity to more accurately target who they roster for the second strike. They already know who broke the strike the first time and thus who will very likely do so again. Those who sign a NSA will be more likely to come in on the second strike days I guess.
Of course it is quite intimidating for a junior to be "interviewed" by a manager - it may just be a tactic to target those who were wavering anyway.
Perhaps with the return of staff travel as a carrot (or showing them being deleted from the system if not)?
Surely it is meaningless as striking crew are in breach of contract anyway. If they sign it, but then strike anyway, aren't they simply in breach of the new contract, and hence nothing has changed? It would be a breach of the BASSA/BA recognition agreement since it would be a contract not negotiated with BASSA, so then the question arises can a BASSA member sign a contract not negotiated with their union without the union being, er, in dispute with BA!
The only real point I can see is it gives BA the opportunity to more accurately target who they roster for the second strike. They already know who broke the strike the first time and thus who will very likely do so again. Those who sign a NSA will be more likely to come in on the second strike days I guess.
Of course it is quite intimidating for a junior to be "interviewed" by a manager - it may just be a tactic to target those who were wavering anyway.
Perhaps with the return of staff travel as a carrot (or showing them being deleted from the system if not)?
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With 8 cabin crew on a 777, that's 1 crew member per door. The CW service would be seriously dragged out with that number of crew!
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Good evening ladies and gents - I know that there were a few of you in the CRC today, but, for those of you that were not, here is my take on things.
I arrived in the CRC at about 1230. I was nervous on the drive in and was very uncomfortable as I drove past the picket near the police station. I was nervous at being spotted, and also upset that a few of my friends had been so misguided by BASSA and were now stood there risking everything for no real reason.
Anyway, I arrived at the crew car-park and got onto the blacked out bus. The bus was almost full - hardly any seat free. There were volunteers on there but many many normal crew. I got into the CRC and was amazed at what I saw. There were masses of crew there on standby - I saw so many of my friends and it was so nice to see some smiling faces. I ca't imagine who is striking because there were so many people there.
I witnessed an impromptu question and answer session from Willi and Billi and was impressed at what they had to say. They GUARANTEED the audience that those who had gone on strike would never get their staff travel back and that it would not be up for negotiation with the union. They reassured me that what is to come will not be the end of my flying career as I know it - now I have not been in the company for long and hope that the union will not be proved right with their constant warning that the company cannot be trusted.
They confirmed that rosters had been wiped for striking crew and that they will not be working until they are needed.
I arrived in the CRC at about 1230. I was nervous on the drive in and was very uncomfortable as I drove past the picket near the police station. I was nervous at being spotted, and also upset that a few of my friends had been so misguided by BASSA and were now stood there risking everything for no real reason.
Anyway, I arrived at the crew car-park and got onto the blacked out bus. The bus was almost full - hardly any seat free. There were volunteers on there but many many normal crew. I got into the CRC and was amazed at what I saw. There were masses of crew there on standby - I saw so many of my friends and it was so nice to see some smiling faces. I ca't imagine who is striking because there were so many people there.
I witnessed an impromptu question and answer session from Willi and Billi and was impressed at what they had to say. They GUARANTEED the audience that those who had gone on strike would never get their staff travel back and that it would not be up for negotiation with the union. They reassured me that what is to come will not be the end of my flying career as I know it - now I have not been in the company for long and hope that the union will not be proved right with their constant warning that the company cannot be trusted.
They confirmed that rosters had been wiped for striking crew and that they will not be working until they are needed.
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A bassa rep earns 50,000 a year(allegdley) and has done 20 hours flying in the last year.This is what is wrong with BA.I am sure he is not the only one.I am glad the papers have got hold of this and hope they find out who else is milking BA for all they can.This is something WW must stamp out and get rid of.The rest of us are on half that and doing 800 -900 hours a year.
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oh, one more thing - the only thing that concerned me is that I don't think that Willi and Billi fully understood the importance of good allowances for those of us on the new contract - they reassured us about the travel payment but didn't really convince me that I won't be losing a massive whack of money in allowances.
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Hey BAcrewboy - welcome back! 
Having worked today aswell on airport standby, I can only pretty much say what BAcrewboy has said - there were loads of crew, WW and BF were there, and it is extremely clear BASSA are lying when they are saying only 26 crew are turning up! It was quite a good atmosphere in CRC actually, we were all in the same boat at the end of the day!
That was my thoughts too Ottergirl! You could realistically crew a 747 with 12 crew but the services would have to be reduced and the passengers wouldn't be too happy! Having said this, on shorthaul the crew complement changes are going OK on most routes. Longhaul particularly the 747 may be different, because of 4 cabins and the sheer number of pax but as I am not LH I don't know.
Having worked today aswell on airport standby, I can only pretty much say what BAcrewboy has said - there were loads of crew, WW and BF were there, and it is extremely clear BASSA are lying when they are saying only 26 crew are turning up! It was quite a good atmosphere in CRC actually, we were all in the same boat at the end of the day!
And I don't think the FIRST customers will put up with a sandwich for very long!
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Of course it is quite intimidating for a junior to be "interviewed" by a manager - it may just be a tactic to target those who were wavering anyway.
BA will make them jump through several hoops before allowing them anywhere near a fare paying passenger, and for those strikers not rostered to work between strikes, this will be an expensive month. Their pay will be stopped from the day they fail to report for duty until their next "available rostered duty".
All those who have unopened emails from Bill Francis in their inbox on ESS, I suggest you open them sharpish. Then you will know exactly what is going to happen to you.
And kwateow, for someone who;s first language isn't english, you have summed it up!
The British Airways has a plan and lots of money. cabin crew seem to have not much plan and little money (house mortgage to pay....)
The outcome seems one sided, inevitable.
The outcome seems one sided, inevitable.
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And I don't think the FIRST customers will put up with a sandwich for very long!
In the scheme of things, I don't think they will mind too much.
Don't forget they may have also had some pre-flight dining in our excellent lounges. I'm also sure they would have been some sort of recovery service for our First customers.
I'm also certain BA is one step ahead of the game where this is concerned judging by the way how efficiently everything has been organised.
Incidentally, do you have an account of your experience of the last three days please? I was in on day 1 and 2 of the strike.
PS: BAcrewboy and Slidebustle, thank you for your update of day 3.