If there is to be a strike I would predict that it will include the dates February 21st to 25th. That weekend pretty much coincides with the spring term half term. There could be great execution among skiers. This could appeal to Tony Woodley whose sympathies quite probably do not lie with the middle classes.

Whilst Brother Woodley's publicly expressed sympathies might not be with the middle classes, his salary and lifestyle most certainly are.
Hasn't he done well for a Scouser who left school at 15 to become a steamship steward.

@ mr87 ... we flew BA in the Spring, LHR-IAD, through 2 lots of strikes. Outbound the 3 daily flights were initially consolidated into one, and then they were all re-instated at the last minute once they knew how many CC were actually turning up for work.. Same thing happened on the way home 3 weeks later - one flight, then at the last minute all 3 operating.

We're outbound on the same route just before Easter, and we have absolutely no doubt that BA will get us there and back.

No guarantees, of course, just stating what happened to us. Depends on your route, and number of flights, as BetterByBoat noted. If you are booked for a once a week flight to an obscure destination ... you'll probably be one of the guaranteed, IMO. It's the people served by multiple flights per day who are likely to bear the first cuts/consolidations [if any]. That way, BA can say they served 100% of long-haul destinations.

IMO, E&OE ;)

Perhaps this announcing a ballot is all to win the Christmas hearts and minds.

We will probably hear, next week, it's been delayed due to "technical problems".

The Guardian and Independent will give it prominent coverage.

At least BASSA haven't released a Christmas record.

Am I cynical?

The 2010 On Again Off Again Award goes to BA
 

Runner up TFL, London Underground.
Fed up with both and I don't even live there at the moment.

Thank you for offering your thoughts. I'm not bothered if I'm pushed onto another flight through consolidation or whatever, as long as I can get to my destination! I guess there's a lot of unknowns up in the air at the moment and you've just got to carry on planning your trip and listening for any updates. For the most part, I'm pretty reassured that there's a good chance that things will be fine, so thank you very much! :)

I am very sceptical about this information which suggests that Tony Woodley may not be around to guide the strike._ Can anyone confirm or refute the following?Reference:-__link

Perhaps he can see the way the wind is blowing and wants to get out whilst the going is good and leave "brave" Len to take the blame? Another factor may be that since he lost any goodwill that he might have had with BA over the last offer he knows it's not worth going back to them?

We've heard continual mutterings regarding a Union strike ballot for so long now I can't remember when it was first mentioned. It was certainly way before the infamous 10/10/10/10/..... which is well over two months ago now.

With the recent speculative news that TW (and maybe DS) is (are) retiring early, am I the only one who has the feeling that BASSA is pushing an extremely reluctant Unite to call a strike ballot with Unite not having the guts to tell BASSA where to get off?

I have this feeling that Unite quite correctly think the whole matter to be suicidal both for BASSA and for themselves given both the overall lack of support and the potential liabilites they will incur should they be found responsible for calling an illegal, or at the very least an unprotected, strike action. Indeed, Unite may have already received a private warning shot across its bows to this effect from BA's lawyers.

As we have seen from the recent militant CC's comments, BASSA don't see it this way at all. On make-believe planet BASSA they know the "majority" of CC are prepared to go out on strike ("just like last time") and, with only a few more "sausages" to join them, WW will capitulate as he is under pressure to resolve this "personal" matter directly with "super-important" BASSA before he "leaves" BA.

I could see a Unite/BASSA split happening way before any strike action happens and, with the current state of affairs, maybe even before a strike ballot begins.

Under the present circumstances, and rather than telling BASSA where to get off, should Unite be trying to resolve matters by attempting to engage BA into yet further negotiated concessions to appease BASSA then BA would be a complete fool to fall for this. I cannot imagine Unite hearing anything other than a rebuff from BA swiftly followed by a suggestion that any further attempts to threaten strike action to damage the airline will result in the current extremely generous offer being withdrawn forthwith.

The rumour on the streets at work (BA) is that both TW and DS are retiring sooner rather than later thus leaving the entire running of the show on the hands of Looney Left Wing Len McKlusky who romped to victory in the elections securing a massive 14% of the members support. Just goes to show how bothered the other parts of Unite are about their new Leader. A socialist who hails Hugo Chavez and the state running of all major industries as his drivers he is well placed to direct the 'bruvverhood' to the Dole Queue as this is exactly what he achieved, with the help of Derek Hatton, to the dock workers in Liverpool.

As to those passengers wondering about flights during strikes. From my perspective (flight crew) I feel that the company will be running the vast majority of both LH and SH services. Perhaps with slightly reduced frequency on the busier routes. Be aware that there are thousands of good, hard working and professional Cabin Crew who have left BASSA over this mess and many who never joined in the first place. They will be working. The Volunteers will be working. Those of us that take pride in our company and product will be working.

So, we'll do our absolute best. :E

Looney Len - where are the Journalists??
 

Once upon a time in the UK, journalists used to investigate things, and expose in the media all sorts of corruption in TUs, the Labour Party, and big business.

No more, it would seem. I worked in the Liverpool area when Looney Len and Hatton were running mad in the North West. Even the Ginger Pillock, (oh, OK, Neil Kinnock) was moved to say that they were totally, utterly, mad.

Where are those journalists now? Why haven't they exposed Len's background?? Er, they are scared to.

As for Woodley, he'll go back to what really interests him - running Vauxhall Motors soccer club. Unite has been a distraction for him for too long.
Official Vauxhall Motors Football Club Website

Yet again, those CC that are hard working and that care for BA and its customers will be let down by this TU for someone else's political agenda.

BA Questionnaire
 

Unfortunately the questionnaire will in all certainty back-fire with the militants and just give them the impression that BA is continuing to bend over backwards rewarding their continuing hissy-fits and bad behaviour thus effectively achieving nothing towards and even possibly delaying settlement by encouraging them to push for more.

The only thing it may achieve is to gain some support from the non-militant sit-on-the-fencers to encourage them to actually think about what is going on and the quality of the offer currently on the table and vote against strike action thus deflating the militants further who would still claim a resounding and crushing victory even if two out of three total votes cast were in favour of strike action!

Warm and fuzzy as it may sound, I'm not sure this is such a good move by BA assuming the goal is to bring stability back to all stakeholders in this matter in the shortest possible time.

Wirbelsturm

I have just cancelled three club world reservations in the new yeat today.

Whilst I understand that you and your colleagues will do your best (and I do generally have good experiences with BA), it is simply not acceptable for the threat of strike action to be hanging around 12 months on.

Your company is in a highly competitive market and your senior management need to get a grip and restore stability as a matter of urgency. By this I do not mean go running to the unions with lots of concessions.

The communications are lacking at the moment, no commercial policy for those who may be affected (luckily I had flexible tickets) and only vague promises of 'aims' for various services.

Just not acceptable.

I am not going to accept any extra degree of risk to my business travels, when I do not need to.

When sanity is restored, I will come back.

Thank you, JdS, for that gracious concession. I am quite sure that British Airways will manage without your custom in the meanwhile.

In the pomposity stakes, the statement quoted above comes a whisker behind

Chuchinchow,

Your comment about the 'pompous' statement regarding cancelling domestic services is correct. As a S/H captain in BA I have always understood the rationale for this - even if my 'name' suggests I do not fully agree with policy.

For JdS to make the statement that BA senior management need to 'get a grip' is a bit rich. I am CERTAIN that he has never had to deal with such an intransigent bunch of pampered loonys, as the bassa militants.

No amount of stick (or carrot) works with these total imbeciles.:ugh::ugh::ugh:

I would personally like to see a VERY BIG STICK used on these creeps, but thankfully I am not running the company.

Unite have made the following announcement that ensures that Tony Woodley can continue his work in connection with BASSA, cc89 & BAReference_______link

Wednesday 2 January 2013
 

Tony Woodley will stay in his new office until he reaches the age of 65.

@ Joao da Silva ... I had the same feelings a year ago, when I stopped my Company booking with BA. Since then, BA has shown it is capable of delivering, despite the disruptive activity of some CC. My restriction was lifted some months ago. You are, of course, free to make your own decisions.

@ CCC ... you're a perpetual tinker, aren't you? :cool:

@ notlangley ... thanks for the updates on Unite, proving that experience can only be gained by those who wish to learn. :ok:

Understandably that is the viewpoint of many of the business class customers who rely upon their flight departing as planned. Personally I have to say I would tend to agree with that sentiment.

Which is why this entire sorry mess needs to be sorted out now and the short term pain lived with to prevent the ridiculous mess that has been the CC flash walkouts for the past decades based on nebulous excuses.

BASSA need taking down a peg or three and the running of the company given back to those who know what they are doing and not those flexing Union muscles.

I agree with you, the 'wait it out' strategy may have been appropriate for a certain length of time, but now it starts to look tired and is (IMHO) very unfair to those on inflexible tickets, who may be caught between a rock and a hard place.

You are quite correct, I have never had to deal with such a situation and I would never accept an appointment with a company where anyone other than the board sets the direction of the strategy and makes the operational decision. I would have to ask questions about how some of the former board members of BA take their pensions and concessions and sleep at nights.

However, unlike you Sporran, I am a board director of a global company. On the other hand, you will notice that I do not make posts advising you how to operate an aircraft.

So far from being 'a bit rich', I am only commenting on an area where I have earned the right to have an opinion.