BA Strike - Your Thoughts & Questions

[wascrew]

the offer

As far as i understand it this was bassa/unites response to the BA offer

http://uniteba.com/ESW/Files/BA_offer.pdf

[Mariner9]

Unite protested when BA withdrew the offer once the strike dates were announced, and demanded that it was put back on the table.

Now it seems that WW is prepared to do just that. In my view this is a very clever move that puts Unite in a very difficult position, with only two options:

1. If they put the offer to the crew, they would almost certainly* vote in favour. The only thing CC will have "gained" from the strike therefore is the loss of some pay and staff travel. They will also have considerably damaged BA's present and future earnings, that at best, vastly reduces their employer's ability to maintain industry-leading T&C's. Thanks Unite.

2. If on the other hand the Union refuse to put the offer to their membership (or if the majority vote against it), Unite will have no option other than calling for further strikes. However, given the ever increasing number of staff working and the number of new CC's being trained, it won't be long before BA consider the striking staff to be surplus to requirements. Thanks Unite.

With regards to Staff Travel, I just can't see WW caving in over this. I would imagine that Unite's only feasible strategy would be to try and convince their membership that they should return to work while Unite endeavour to get the removal of ST declared illegal in the courts.

I await the parties next move with interest.

*On the basis that more than 50% of the CC did not take part in IA

[searbyb]

Is it not mentioned in this thread that the company have the right to sack strikers and recruit replacements after 12 weeks providing it can demonstrate that it has made every effort to negotiate?

Perhaps WW's letter is part of that process.

[Diplome]

Mariner9:

I believe the offer that BA has put back on the table is the second offer, made AFTER strike dates were called but before the actual strike.

Other board members can feel free to correct me on this.

[Chuchinchow]

cactis (#668)

what ?? go a day earlier..explain that to your boss why you need two days to do what they expect in one ! what the F#ck difference is that gonna make ?

[Mariner9]

From memory Diplome, the 2nd offer was made after the vote but was withdrawn on the day the strike dates were announced. No doubt one of us could check if we felt like wading back through several thousand posts on the subject!

PS Chuchinchow...I know, I was equally confused. It made one of Watersidewonker's postings seem erudite and well composed by comparison

[emanresuym]

Mariner9:

My recollection is the same as Diplome. The offer which WW is willing to re-table is the one he made AFTER the strike dates had been announced. This was the one that Unite complained was "worse than the previous offer".

Edit to say: And the offer Unite want back on the table, is the first offer made prior to the strike dates being announced.(Despite the fact that they said they wouldn't recommend this to their members)

[The SSK]

I'm probably wrong but I thought the only difference was that the first one offered inflation-linked pay increases in 2011 and 2012 capped at 4%, and in the second one the cap was 3%.

In other words, no difference unless inflation in either of those two years exceeds 3% (is that likely?)

The big difference now is that the militants who have lost ST have less incentive to stay, if they go their replacements won't cost the company so much.

[Diplome]

Mariner9:

I waded..which is where I found the text

Note that the second offer does not deliver the guarantees regarding Unite representation that were in the first. I'm sure that is one of the reasons its not being put to their members.

I'm surprised the membership isn't insisting on an opportunity to at least vote on the offer.

[Mariner9]

Fair enough chaps, I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification (and for doing the wading!)

I don't think it changes the thrust of my post above regarding Unite's options - if anything, a worse offer that one for which they've previously recommended rejection puts them in an even deeper hole. And WW's not likely to lend them a spade

[etrang]

The big difference now is that the militants who have lost ST have less incentive to stay

Those who use it to get to work may well find it financially impossible to stay.

And WW's not likely to lend them a spade

Actually, if you're in a deep hole the last thing you need is a spade. That's what made the hole in the first place. WW's probably happy to give them a bigger spade, but he's not likely to lend them a ladder.

[ExecClubPax]

From reading the cabin crew forum I understand there is a distinct possibility that lists of non striking BA cabin crew are being compiled.


Clearly BA would have a defacto list of strikers (or at least those who failed to report for their scheduled duty over the last 2 weekends). However, can anybody hazard a guess as to why lists of working colleagues should be created and by whom?

[jetset lady]

At a guess, by some of the more militant strikers to identify, intimidate and isolate those of their colleagues that went to work.

[ExecClubPax]

I thought it was the union's case that BA did all the intimidating and harrassment.

[Dawdler]

It doesn't take much working out! Look out for behaviours that are not conducive to good team atmosphere. I have seen this sort of thing before and some people find it impossible to overcome it - even for decades. I wonder how the sales of the Sun newspaper are doing in Liverpool nowadays?

[Ten West]

They're probably selling just as many as they ever did. many Sun readers appear to have the attention span of goldfish. As long as it contains t*ts and football in equal measure it'll sell.

[wascrew]

move

Willys` first move post strike??

Willy Walsh Introduces Sharia Law onto British Airways

[oggers]

UNITE not terribly united

I heard today from a non-CC BA worker that all her department are proper angry at Unite’s plan to raise an extra £700 000 to support the striking cabin crew. They are all quitting the union forthwith. Similar sentiments are being expressed by Unite members working at Air France-KLM (I was surprised they had members there but I’m told they do) who don’t care to pay so that BA CC can continue to enjoy the best pay and conditions in the industry.

She also corroborated BA’s figures for passengers flown, having been hard at work putting bums on seats during every one of the strike days so far.

[Chuchinchow]

Willys` first move post strike??

Willy Walsh Introduces Sharia Law onto British Airways

I wonder how long it will be before the first angry, self-righteous, protest comments appear here.

[Ten West]

I heard today from a non-CC BA worker that all her department are proper angry at Unite’s plan to raise an extra £700 000 to support the striking cabin crew. They are all quitting the union forthwith.

Seems I'm not alone then. As soon as that communication reaches me I'll be doing the same.