These are the numbers:

So 64% of Unite members voted to strike, and 42% of Unite members actually went on strike.

It is a minority, but it is still a sizable minority.

in other words....
 

56% of all CC voted for strike
37% of all CC went on strike

These are stunningly high numbers, make no mistake about it.

WW did well keeping the fleet flying, but more than 1 in 3 of all BA CC staff went on strike, this will take years to restore. Perhaps WW was being hindered by BA's lousy HR past.

Let s hope BASSA dies quickly it will help the healing process not having DH stirring the pot....

and bare in mind that BASSA membership has reduced significantly over recent months.

Given their lack of numeric skills even their own website shows a leaking membership it so reality must be somewhat more depressing for them

I am most certainly not anti union but in its present form BASSA is a throwback to the 1970's. Maybe time for Unite to insist they start building the branch up form the grass roots up, that may help usefull negotiations going foward and let Duncan focus on his toms!

Agreed. In more ways than one, in this dispute, BA is paying the price for previous managerial failures. The company may never get over this.

ld
 

The first step to overcoming a problem is admitting you have one - well done Willie - keep up the focus on this area

Anyone know why only 3500 lost staff travel if 4900 went on strike?
Have BA "not processed" those that returned to work?

I don't think there was ever any formal confirmation of the number that lost staff travel. 3,500 was, I think, always a guestimate.

so what do these numbers do for BASSA?

Duggie - where are you?

Not quite right.You are forgetting that Union members are the public, it would be folly to think otherwise.
Also, the 'Public' in the sense you refer will always whine and moan when the strike affects them but support it when it doesn't.
Working in the Travel industry, whether it be Pilots, CC, Engineers, Airport staff etc. you will never get support. Striking and hoping for it is stupid. The press will kill you for spoiling holidays or stifling business. No one will give a toss what the reason for strike is.
This is the very reason why strike action should always be a last resort and fought over something that would make huge differences for the striker or their families.
The members must believe and be on board. It is the job of the local reps to inform the FTO's of the mood locally and the support for the action. This includes views of non Union staff.
I don't think any of that applies to the BASSA dispute.

LitebulbsAs I posed the point, may I suggest that - for the most part, they no longer have a carrier of choice. Their choice is the cheapest. For short haul that is certainly the case. I suggest that because I hear people going to airports further away to get a lower fare, not always considering the extra time and costs of getting to the other airport, when the destination is the same!

I'm sure that regular travellers do have their favourites and BA still have many fans but they are facing the usual competition on all fronts. Short haul by specialists and other legacy carriers; ICT packages and the new independent traveller who eschews all packages; Long haul has discount carriers too and the recession has taken another swipe at all levels. When folks will go from EDI to JFK vis CDG (as per another current thread) and they could also go via AMS or DUB or KEF - just for starters - then any carrier is going to struggle, not just one like BA with their particular problems.

So, mostly, folks will take price first and everything else second.

Especially in tourist class cabins, where the product and service have little to differentiate the carrier.

Lotpax

You are so right. Coach is coach no matter which airline you choose to fly. The only differentiation between airlines are in the business and first class products. Pax flying in economy have but a basic expectation of service. If they get fed and a soda they are happy. The expectations in J or F are what separate the children from the players.

MCO,

Coach is coach could not be further from the truth when comparing BA or Virgin with AA or US Airways.

We have used all four in the last 12 months and I can assure they are absolutely worlds apart, so much so we are using BA again this year for our holiday to Denver and will continue to do so whenever possible as the value for money, comfort level and the service they provide far exceed many other carriers for not that much more money.

SFP
Couldn't agree more. Used all of them, BA for me.

And here is a take on shorthaul choice: YouTube - ‪FASCINATING AIDA - Cheap Flights‬‎ :)

Unite's duty
 

I do hope that those numbers give non-striking crew some greater sense of support when they next board a plane as crew.

Just over 1/3 of crew actually went on strike, two thirds did not go on strike - no matter what individuals might say when on board, and excluding lgw and lcy, less than half of the lhr crew went on strike, more than half of lhr crew worked normally all the time.

Isn't it Unite's duty now, given that the other Unite branches are completely against this strike, to act for the majority of BA CC and BA Unite members??

The tiny minority in this cult continue to threaten the prosperity of Unite's members who work for BA. Shouldn't Unite now formally abandon the junta that run it?

AO
 

5000 is not a tiny minority.

Agreed Litebulbs, and given that those 5000 would likely support the current BASSA leadership and represent over half of the total 9554 members BASSA claim on their website, it would seem that change in BASSA leadership will not come anytime soon.

This dispute has a long way to run yet.

Pride
 

There is too much of the above. I wonder how difficult it would be to look at last years proposals, prior to the imposition? New contracts, rather than new fleet, I think it was. Then just compromise on the industrial agreements; well an unbalanced compromise, due to BA's commitment to recoup the cost of IA.

Everything has to be explored.

JEM60Sure - for regular travellers! If folks use long haul once a year or once every three? If they buy a package, are they going to find out in advance who the carrier is and have that as a make/break? I suggest not.

A number of the web sites that collate fares and show you them in price order do not tell you who the carrier is. So, in coach, there may be differences but money will rule for many, many pax.

On the wider front, 'brand loyalty' is something that is not so important to younger generations. Sure, they might have loyalty to 'showy' brands of clothes but to airlines? Nah, it's a badge of pride to pay as little as possible and have horror stories to relate of what you endured.