BA Strike - Your Thoughts & Questions
Join Date: May 2010
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£531M! And this doesn't even factor in the disruption from the volcano, let alone the strikes.
I want to send a message of encouragement to all the BA staff that are backing their company to keep it flying and turn it back into a profitable airline delivering world class services.
I also commend the CC that will turn out for work next week and the volunteers CC that support them in their endeavours to throw mud in the face of BASSA militants and all the sheep that follow them.
To the striking CC, step out of your own little world and see the bigger picture and damage you are doing. The impact of your actions clearly hits BA in the pocket, but also consider the damage you're doing to the rest of BA and youselves (not that I care with the latter).
You don't appear to see that, let alone the cost to customers and the knock on effect to suppliers and any business dependant on BA.
Now is not the time for this, you all have jobs and are not being asked for considerable changes, so wake up and smell the coffee you serve.
I am flying Club World in 3 weeks time and I want to be hosted by the CC that actually want to be there, not the wingers and likes of the individuals seen jumping around outside the court and on the open top bus yesterday. Oh dear
, I trust they are pleased with the TV appearances.
I want to send a message of encouragement to all the BA staff that are backing their company to keep it flying and turn it back into a profitable airline delivering world class services.
I also commend the CC that will turn out for work next week and the volunteers CC that support them in their endeavours to throw mud in the face of BASSA militants and all the sheep that follow them.
To the striking CC, step out of your own little world and see the bigger picture and damage you are doing. The impact of your actions clearly hits BA in the pocket, but also consider the damage you're doing to the rest of BA and youselves (not that I care with the latter).
You don't appear to see that, let alone the cost to customers and the knock on effect to suppliers and any business dependant on BA.
Now is not the time for this, you all have jobs and are not being asked for considerable changes, so wake up and smell the coffee you serve.
I am flying Club World in 3 weeks time and I want to be hosted by the CC that actually want to be there, not the wingers and likes of the individuals seen jumping around outside the court and on the open top bus yesterday. Oh dear
, I trust they are pleased with the TV appearances. 
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...Interesting that when Nicky Campbell mentioned travel perks, Derek Simpson claimed they weren't perks but 'travel arrangements' for a 'global workforce'.
How ironic that when Walsh first stated clearly that he would remove travel perks the strikers were falling over themselves to tell the world they weren't much good anyway. Now they are essential 'travel arrangements' for a 'global workforce' and the main stumbling block for a deal. A deal which, interestingly, is otherwise basically the same as that which the strikers found wholly unacceptable when they first went out.
In other words the strike was unnecessary, has failed to get the better deal the strikers wanted, and now they are just hoping to get away with their original (rather valuable) staff concessions still intact.
How ironic that when Walsh first stated clearly that he would remove travel perks the strikers were falling over themselves to tell the world they weren't much good anyway. Now they are essential 'travel arrangements' for a 'global workforce' and the main stumbling block for a deal. A deal which, interestingly, is otherwise basically the same as that which the strikers found wholly unacceptable when they first went out.
In other words the strike was unnecessary, has failed to get the better deal the strikers wanted, and now they are just hoping to get away with their original (rather valuable) staff concessions still intact.
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British Airways has reported its biggest annual loss due to lower passenger numbers, higher costs and the impact of strike action.
The flag carrier lost £531m ($766m) in the 12 months to March - BA's biggest loss since it was privatised in 1987.
The flag carrier lost £531m ($766m) in the 12 months to March - BA's biggest loss since it was privatised in 1987.
Because who is going to give a toss when BA sack the strikers?
As the saying goes, if you want sympathy, it's between sh*t and syphilis in the dictionary.
I for one will cheer and clap when these cancerous ne'er-do-wells are chucked out on their ears, and I doubt I'll be alone.
Come on Willie, finish the job off. You'll probably get a rousing cheer from the rest of BA as well.
I don't know why the media let Simpson and co have such an easy ride.
Clearly, if the differences between the sides are now deemed "trivial" by the Union, they are being just as obstinate as BA in prolonging this dispute, which unless ended in the next few days, could very result in the loss of jobs for ~20,000 Unite members.
Meanwhile, I watched WW get a grilling on breakfast time. In my view, he did not come across well. He should have absolutely rubbished the suggestion that ST was now the issue and made it clear that the suspensions were over serious allegations and reinstatement of these poisonous individuals would cause outrage amongst the majority of hard working staff at BA. The damage to the brand of all this adverse publicity is incalculable.
He really needs to get an urgent grip of the situation and announce immediately that in the light of on-going unsustainable losses, anyone striking on Monday will be made redundant. Even if these redundancies are subsequently deemed unfair and compensation has to be paid it would work out cheaper in the long run, and at least the more poisonous CC's would have been removed.
Get a grip Willie.
Clearly, if the differences between the sides are now deemed "trivial" by the Union, they are being just as obstinate as BA in prolonging this dispute, which unless ended in the next few days, could very result in the loss of jobs for ~20,000 Unite members.
Meanwhile, I watched WW get a grilling on breakfast time. In my view, he did not come across well. He should have absolutely rubbished the suggestion that ST was now the issue and made it clear that the suspensions were over serious allegations and reinstatement of these poisonous individuals would cause outrage amongst the majority of hard working staff at BA. The damage to the brand of all this adverse publicity is incalculable.
He really needs to get an urgent grip of the situation and announce immediately that in the light of on-going unsustainable losses, anyone striking on Monday will be made redundant. Even if these redundancies are subsequently deemed unfair and compensation has to be paid it would work out cheaper in the long run, and at least the more poisonous CC's would have been removed.
Get a grip Willie.
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I honestly think that the unions and the striking CC believe that no matter how bad the losses to London Airline (BA) are, the government will not allow it to fail. Therefore it does not matter to them how much their company loses, the tax payer will bail them out just like they did the banks.
Oh I do hope that does not happen.
Oh I do hope that does not happen.
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You know the one difference between the unions & British Steel, British Leyland, the National Coal Board?
The unions are still here.
Wake up BA strikers, when you've killed the business, Derek Simpson, Tony Woodley & all the other barons will still be in their big fat jobs, with their big fat salaries, living in their big fat houses, with their big fat missuses & you'll be on the dole, scratching about for scraps.
If you don;t like your job, leave. If your boss is a prat, leave, walk away. Life's too short to get sold down the river on a hopeless cause.
The unions are still here.
Wake up BA strikers, when you've killed the business, Derek Simpson, Tony Woodley & all the other barons will still be in their big fat jobs, with their big fat salaries, living in their big fat houses, with their big fat missuses & you'll be on the dole, scratching about for scraps.
If you don;t like your job, leave. If your boss is a prat, leave, walk away. Life's too short to get sold down the river on a hopeless cause.
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in these tough economic times i can hardly believe the behaviour. All around people are losing jobs and having wages and terms and conditions cut back. Moreover BA is now in such a bad position posting such losses, soon the situation could become even worse. they need a paradigm shift in culture...
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This is how Simon Calder of The Indie neatly sums up the whole mess:
source http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/simon-calder-airline-faces-the-music-as-abba-chorus-grows-1978884.html
A squabble that has its roots in whether or not the senior cabin-crew member on British Airways long-haul flights should push a trolley has escalated to a national dispute over the future of industrial relations. The average passenger, though, long sidelined in this increasingly acrimonious tussle, merely wants to know if his or her flight is going to take off. However the dispute unfolds, the damage to British Airways – and by extension to its workforce – intensifies with each passing day of stalemate.
source http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/simon-calder-airline-faces-the-music-as-abba-chorus-grows-1978884.html
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I'm one of the average passengers Mr Calder referred to. On the 27th I fly to Miami before heading onto Peru - I'm one of the lucky ones on that day since my flight IS going ahead however I still have no idea about my return flight on the 9th and I won't find out until the 31st... Four days after I've already been in Peru.
Potentially I'm going be trying to call BA customer service on my mobile across the Atlantic to rebook a later flight and then having to call into my office to tell them why I won't be back at work when I said I will.
These members of BASSA and Unite are literally screwing with my life and to see them taking delight in it on the news is difficult to take. The one overriding thought I have is "I'll never risk flying with BA again" and that's a sad state of affairs for all the BA staff who simply want to go to work.
Potentially I'm going be trying to call BA customer service on my mobile across the Atlantic to rebook a later flight and then having to call into my office to tell them why I won't be back at work when I said I will.
These members of BASSA and Unite are literally screwing with my life and to see them taking delight in it on the news is difficult to take. The one overriding thought I have is "I'll never risk flying with BA again" and that's a sad state of affairs for all the BA staff who simply want to go to work.
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Simon Calder
SC's attitude is very interesting. Prior to the planned Christmas strike he was very sympathetic to the CC. That has changed dramatically as he has woken up to the fact that the miltants are either hell bent on getting their own selfish ways, or alternatively bringing BA to its' knees.
What I am totally unable to understand is what they gain by bringing on mass redundancy for all BA's employees. Having watched Mr Walsh's interview this morning, Bassa should be in no doubt that those employees who have been dismissed for bullying & intimidation will NOT be reinstated.
What I am totally unable to understand is what they gain by bringing on mass redundancy for all BA's employees. Having watched Mr Walsh's interview this morning, Bassa should be in no doubt that those employees who have been dismissed for bullying & intimidation will NOT be reinstated.
Last edited by fincastle84; 21st May 2010 at 11:11. Reason: Missing '
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Diplome
Prior to WW's appearance, Derek Simpson was interviewed. He came out with his usual cr*p about macho management yawn, yawn & insisted that as part of any agreement for an end to IA, ALL employees who had been dismissed for whatever reason MUST be reinstated.
The somewhat biased BBC interviewer put this point to WW, indicating that in his opinion that this would be but a small concession by BA. Mr Walsh left him in no doubt that any employee who had been dismissed for bullying or intimidation would NOT be reinstated. Therefore there appears to be a complete deadlock.
Hope that this helps. If not please PM me.
The somewhat biased BBC interviewer put this point to WW, indicating that in his opinion that this would be but a small concession by BA. Mr Walsh left him in no doubt that any employee who had been dismissed for bullying or intimidation would NOT be reinstated. Therefore there appears to be a complete deadlock.
Hope that this helps. If not please PM me.
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Some posters on here have suggested that BA should simply sack the strikers and pay compensation for unfair dismissal. It's worth bearing in mind, though, that the Employment Tribunal has the power to order reinstatement. If there had been an easy solution to this dispute, I think that it would have been found by now.
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£1.7billion in the bank? That's peanuts if you're losing approx £500m a year and rising. That gives the company three years insurance, at most. As is the case in ANY business, if you spend your savings, and you aren't generating profit, you're history. Three years might seem like a long time, but what business writes a plan that has it being wound up in 36 months?
Junior trash
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though, that the Employment Tribunal has the power to order reinstatement.
Nothing in the regs about what T+Cs they have to be reinstated on either.
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The sight of those people capering about outside the court yesterday "celebrating" their "victory" made me wonder, assuming that most were BA staff, why BA employs people with the IQ of a turnip.
(So who were the two lardbuckets who were so prominent in the group, looking uncomfortable?)
It beggars belief that anyone can be so happy about winning a case that allows them to do all possible to destroy their future.
The silly, credulous tart in a hi-viz vest with her face painted on who rushed about excitedly kissing the union dinosaurs embodied the stupidity of the whole bunch. As for the bus-ride through the city, it must have strengthened the support of everyone who saw it for BA to get rid of this toxic cancer once and for all.
(So who were the two lardbuckets who were so prominent in the group, looking uncomfortable?)
It beggars belief that anyone can be so happy about winning a case that allows them to do all possible to destroy their future.
The silly, credulous tart in a hi-viz vest with her face painted on who rushed about excitedly kissing the union dinosaurs embodied the stupidity of the whole bunch. As for the bus-ride through the city, it must have strengthened the support of everyone who saw it for BA to get rid of this toxic cancer once and for all.
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Originally Posted by Gazza
These members of BASSA and Unite are literally screwing with my life and to see them taking delight in it on the news is difficult to take. The one overriding thought I have is "I'll never risk flying with BA again" and that's a sad state of affairs for all the BA staff who simply want to go to work.
Just like Gazza's experience, for this strike,I had a return flight booked, where only the outward leg was confirmed as running. I was not prepared to be stranded abroad if BA cannot make a decision about a flight I paid for months ago against a published timetable. So, I won't travel, and because BA would not move my flights to the dates I wanted /won't give me a refund, I will be walking away from BA permanently.
I have lost money on non refundable car parking, and the flights. There is also the emotional cost, which like thousands of other victims who have paid good money and received sod all cannot generally be priced up.