BA Cabin Crew Strike Threat
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Eddy,
Nice post. I am not one of the flight crew who rant on about cabin crew and I think that the vast majority of BA cabin crew do a great job.
However, what concerns me is the spin BASSA have put on a lot of the issues involved in order to whip the troops up into a frenzy. The worst excess of this was the now infamous 'diary of a stewardess' in the last BASSA newsletter.
On my flight yesterday I asked 3 cabin crew what they were striking about and nobody could come up with a sensible answer. I have no problem at all with you voting to strike but only if you base that decision on truths and facts.
The reason I say this is I have a real problem with this part of your post:-
Please can you tell me which one of the 12 items you have voted to strike over (and I have looked at all of them) involves you taking a 40% pay cut and having to sell your house? I have looked hard and cannot find it. Please don't interpret this as having a pop at you, I genuinely want to know what this pay cut is.
Don't pay too much attention to all the anti cabin crew rants on there. Forums like this tend to attract some quite outspoken individuals!
ATB
Nice post. I am not one of the flight crew who rant on about cabin crew and I think that the vast majority of BA cabin crew do a great job.
However, what concerns me is the spin BASSA have put on a lot of the issues involved in order to whip the troops up into a frenzy. The worst excess of this was the now infamous 'diary of a stewardess' in the last BASSA newsletter.
On my flight yesterday I asked 3 cabin crew what they were striking about and nobody could come up with a sensible answer. I have no problem at all with you voting to strike but only if you base that decision on truths and facts.
The reason I say this is I have a real problem with this part of your post:-
Please can you tell me which one of the 12 items you have voted to strike over (and I have looked at all of them) involves you taking a 40% pay cut and having to sell your house? I have looked hard and cannot find it. Please don't interpret this as having a pop at you, I genuinely want to know what this pay cut is.
Don't pay too much attention to all the anti cabin crew rants on there. Forums like this tend to attract some quite outspoken individuals!
ATB
What the union are trying to arrange is for the issue to be taken from the table for a number of years. Failure to secure this will leave a heavy, dark cloud of uncertainty hanging over the crew community's heads. A timebomb, if you will, with uncertainty as to when it will go off.
There's also the removal of the Purser from the upper deck (more specifically, the removal of a Purser - the upper deck bit was, I understand, a decision made by Bassa though I'm not entirely sure).
I've been flying for three years and am already nearing the top of my payscale. While I'm satisfied with what I earn now, I'd love to have the opportunity to increase this in the future. Taking away the Purser will mean my 10 year wait for Purser will be extended to, well, goodness knows. With people retiring later now, the chances of promotion will be cut drastically. I'll be sitting on 14k for life.... Not a prospect I relish.
And, of course, we have the reduction in report times at base. I understand that Terminal 5 will mean we need less time to get to the jet, but if things at LHR went to schedule all the time (which they seldom do), our current report times are already cut to the bone. I've seen myself finishing security checks just minutes before the passengers arrive for boarding - they've often been kept waiting at the door before the final nod is given to begin.
Reducing these report times means things like LAX, SFO and JNB trips will become nightstops and we'll also lose valuable 'box payments'.
I understand that if we're not working the same amount of time, we shouldn't be paid for doing so. I agree with that notion. My worry, though, is that we're having our already fairly stingy report times reduced to a level where we might not have enough time pre-boarding to perform truly adequate security checks.
I will, of course, perform my check to standard every time, but it makes more sense for the company to just keep things as they are instead of changing them, resulting in the amount of UN-SCHEDULED overtime (which is paid at a higher rate) claimed, increase.
Cheers, chaps.
Last edited by Eddy; 20th Jan 2007 at 14:35. Reason: Because for some reason, editing a post removes paragraphs so I had to come back and re-insert them... Damn it.
It is sad to say "I told you so", but it was always going to happen that WW would take on BASSA. I am sad for the huge majority of cabin crew that I have had the PLEASURE of flying with over the years I have been flying in BA. The blame lies fair and square with the BASSA 'leadership'!
The BASSA leadership over the years have been more intent on flexing their muscles, knowing that past bosses would not take them on. The answer is NO, but what was the question style of 'negotiating' is not the way to conduct yourselves. Handing in a huge list of demands and then using various shifty tactics to get people to vote is shameful. Sad to say, the losers are going to be the decent hard working cabin crew who were 'loyal' to a bunch of BASSA reps enjoying their £100/day and the power trip.
When BA cabin crew are good THEY ARE GREAT, but too often for their own good the poor ones let everybody else down. This is the 21st century, but some of BASSAs agreements would be more at home in the days of Queen Victoria!!
For all the hard working cabin crew worrying about the next few days - I wish you well. Just do not let some power hungry reps lead you over the edge of a cliff.
The BASSA leadership over the years have been more intent on flexing their muscles, knowing that past bosses would not take them on. The answer is NO, but what was the question style of 'negotiating' is not the way to conduct yourselves. Handing in a huge list of demands and then using various shifty tactics to get people to vote is shameful. Sad to say, the losers are going to be the decent hard working cabin crew who were 'loyal' to a bunch of BASSA reps enjoying their £100/day and the power trip.
When BA cabin crew are good THEY ARE GREAT, but too often for their own good the poor ones let everybody else down. This is the 21st century, but some of BASSAs agreements would be more at home in the days of Queen Victoria!!
For all the hard working cabin crew worrying about the next few days - I wish you well. Just do not let some power hungry reps lead you over the edge of a cliff.
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Please can you read and respond to my post as a whole. What I am worried about is that none of the crew seem to know what they are striking about. One of my crew yesterday said "to support the union", the other 2 weren't that bothered. Why does Eddy seem to think he is going to get a 40% pay cut and have to sell his house? I'm mystified.
BASSA has, for its own reasons, chosen to spin some of the issues way beyond what might be deemed sensible and seem to have a love of the word 'imposed'. After the Friday night pensions deal, out came a text/forum post saying BA were imposing a pensions solution yet on the TGWU website, front page news was that the TGWU were going to recommend acceptance. Look at http://www.tgwu.org.uk/Templates/News.asp?NodeID=93026 if you don't believe me. So which was it, the BASSA or the TGWU version?? Aren't they the same union?
BASSA were saying that they were excluded from the meeting but also said that at the meeting all other unions acknowledged their role in achieving the deal - how could the other unions do that if BASSA weren't there?
Please don't interpret this as having a go at cabin crew. You do a great job and are a pleasure to work with. I just think you are being let into an unwinnable dispute and there will be a lot of blood on the floor. A good commander picks his fights carefully and IMHO this is not it.
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Fred, Sporran, thank you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions about crew (however wrong many of those opinions are) but the fact is, none of us are delighted about the challenged we're facing.
We'd love your support, but we'd settle for your tollerance. Tollerance of the fact that we're fighting for our livelihoods at the moment. Tollerance of the fact that we're going out on a lim to protect our futures. It's going to have an impact on everyone else, sure, and for that we can do nothing but apologise.
It's not a decision any of us have taken lightly, though.
I'm a great believer in everyone at BA being part of the same team - I've helped in the terminals before when disruption has been caused due to terror alerts and weather. I've done this on my days off, against my manager's better judgement and for no reward - other than the knowledge that I've helped my colleagues through a challenging time.
Our ground colleagues can't come on the plane and help us during the flight so this, right now, is the time for them to show us the same support that many of us show them when times are hard.
Controversial, moi?
You say Bassa has made some unrealistic requests. What are these in your opinion?
1. PENSIONS
What are BASSA asking for? They haven't stated. From my information the GMB and BASSA are posturing over the issue and know that the pension proposal is as good as it is ever going to get. They deliberately claimed (far from the truth) that they were excluded from the final pensions meeting to, in my opinion, garner support for their strike ballot. The meeting of January 4th was notified to all concerned on December 22nd.
2. BUSES (commuting cabin crew)
I believe that the removal of the bus service was causing some difficulty for commuting crew. Valid grievance but a strike issue?
3. GATWICK BREAKFAST ALLOWANCE (Gatwick cabin crew)
BASSA want the existing Gatwick shorthaul breakfast arrangements to be applied across Gatwick longhaul flying.
Another minor issue and didn't BA offer a 4% increase in the hourly rate at LGW to 'buy off' this issue?
4. EG300 (all cabin crew)
The new absence management policy was agreed with BASSA and Amicus in October 2005. CC received £1,000 each upon signing up. CC don't like its implementation, nothing to do with the fact that it HAS dramatically reduced the still high levels of CC social sickness. BASSA have tried to make the policy unworkable by insisting that every return to work interview was attended by a BASSA rep as well.
What are BASSA actually asking for on this issue?
5. DOWNROUTE REPORT TIME
Report times are generally set so that crew arrive with sufficient time to enable an on time departure. If times become too rigidly controlled you watch the opportunity to quickly visit the duty free shop disappear. Again a small issue not worthy of a strike ballot.
6. 900 HOURS annual flight time limit.
BASSA wanted guarantees that when cabin crew reach 900 flying hours they will not be used for any duty, e.g. training.
The EU working time directive says that an employee cannot be rostered to work more than 900 flying hours, or 2,000 duty hours, in a rolling 12-month period.
Heaven forbid that BA want to utilise previously available working time
instead of giving it as free time off.
7. MANCHESTER BASE (former cabin crew base)
BASSA wanted the operating base in Manchester to be reopened for both shuttle and MAN-JFK operations.
Prior to the closure did it not require around 90 crew to operate the flights between Heathrow and Manchester whereas that figure is now around 24 LHR based crew?
Commercial reality BA is not the CC benevolent society.
8. PREFERRED DUTY FREE SELLER
This issue is about maximising revenue generation onboard from High Life Shop and, I believe, was about the best person for the role of bar operator, as opposed to a seniority-based selection process, operating the duty free trolley.
So let everybody have a go at duty free sales at the cost of selling less and reducing BAs income stream?
9. FIXED LINKS for shorthaul cabin crew
BASSA wanted a guarantee that fixed links would not be introduced without their agreement and that any associated cost savings would be retained for the benefit of the crew.
This is about CC not being bussed off the aircraft to either the CAT lounge or the reporting centre instead of doing what everybody in the real world does and that is operate out again after the normal aircraft turnaround time.
The payments for reduced turnaround time (less than 1hr 45 mins at reporting centre) are about £50 per crew member are they not? (My facts might be incorrect on that one so please correct if I am wrong).
Absurd and outdated practice.
10. SINGLE SUPERVISORY GRADE (CSD Eurofleet)
BASSA wanted BA's proposal to remove the CSD role from all 757 aircraft to be withdrawn.
Remind me again how many supervisory roles their are on the 757? Also
BASSA, presumably, agreed for the removal of the CSD at LGW in longhaul and have just two supervisory grades on the B777 at LGW.
Double standards? And why do we need so many chiefs in the cabin?
11. PURSER/JUNIOR SWAP (B747)
BA want to reduce the number of pursers on a B747 from four to three.
So we need 1 x CSD and 4 x pursers for a crew of 16 - 18?
Speaks for itself!
12. POST-1997 CC PAYSCALES
BASSA wish the current £15,000 p.a. BASIC pay cap to be removed.
These were the pay scales agreed for the new entrants after the debacle of the 1997 strike. BASSA now want to change what they agreed to increase BASIC pay levels above £15,000?
Show me one major item above that justifies threatening to bring the company to its knees. Show me one major item above which justifies screwing our passengers again.
Are you still carrying your laminated card, provided by YOUR union, spelling out when your industrial committment ends. Are you one of the many pilots who feel less than keen to go into discretion when you can't get your 'status' issues resolved to your satisfaction?
Maybe the decision making process is another 'perceived' status issue?
Maybe the decision making process is another 'perceived' status issue?
I have never read it, carried it or operated to it, only to my legal limits.(edited to correct error)
I endeavour to continue trying to keep the operation going whenever necessary and to the extent that it is both safe and legal.
Most flight crew are of similar mind.
I find this attitude a little disingenous. Over on the balpa website the commentary is very much along the lines of 'trust your reps'. If they call for your support, give it. Why shouldn't cabin crew do the same?
Good luck with your hopeless cause.
Edited to correct where I said '.......only to my industrial limits' when I meant '......only to me legal limits.'
Last edited by M.Mouse; 20th Jan 2007 at 18:42. Reason: To correct meaning.
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Eddy, I beg to differ The decisions that have been taken so far (to support a strike ballot) have been taken lightly without much thought by many. The next decision to actually withdraw your labour (or not withdraw, equally), will be the big one. The decisions made to date were on the back of BASSA spin, suggesting to crew that they would be ok, a strong mandate would be all that was necessary.
There will be much angst and tears amongst crews when, as looks likely, the strike call is made.
I suspect that the dispute list has been engineered by BASSA reps to protect their own interests as old-contract crew. They are getting grief from the new contract people who now number over 50%? of cabin crew, and their short-sightedness back in 1997 and over LGW is coming home to roost.
My concern is that you are being led lemming-like over the cliff by un-reconstituted leftwing activists on a personal glory trip. You will need all the luck possible in the coming weeks.
There will be much angst and tears amongst crews when, as looks likely, the strike call is made.
I suspect that the dispute list has been engineered by BASSA reps to protect their own interests as old-contract crew. They are getting grief from the new contract people who now number over 50%? of cabin crew, and their short-sightedness back in 1997 and over LGW is coming home to roost.
My concern is that you are being led lemming-like over the cliff by un-reconstituted leftwing activists on a personal glory trip. You will need all the luck possible in the coming weeks.
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I was under the false impression that I was going to be able to enter in to civilized conversation with you. Wherever did I get that thoroughly misguided impression from ?
You disappoint me, M.Mouse.
Everyone I've spoken to has given their wholehearted support to strike action. If we need to take this step, all but a few of those who voted yes will be right there on the picket lines.
I, too, hope it doesn't come to it. It will damage our company. It will hurt our passengers. It will inconvenience our colleagues. It's a terrifying prospect.
That said, even as a fairly staunch Bassa member, I didn't put a cross in the box on the paper as soon as it arrived at my house. I sat and I thought about it for a couple of days. I didn't want to make that decision based on what I'd read on the Bassa website and what I'd heard from my reps. I wanted to make the decision based on ALL the information available to me from ALL sources. I made a point of having a coffee with a manager to hear the company's side of things one-on-one.
She made excellent points. Valid ones. At the end of the day, though, I made my decision and I have to live with it. I will, as will the majority of my colleagues.
You say these decisions were taken lightly, and I assure you that in most cases, they weren't.
I like to think I'm a fairly well respected member of the crew community and, for many, I'm one of the first points of call for people who have had questions about this situation but didn't want to bother a union rep. Again, I assure you, from the conversations I have had I can catagorically state that most people took a great deal of time when making their final decision to vote yes.
There's already angst and there have already been tears. The mere prospect of walking out is frightening. I'm petrified. We understand though that we need to do it to protect our terms and conditions AND to protect our union for the future.
You disappoint me, M.Mouse.
Eddy, I beg to differ The decisions that have been taken so far (to support a strike ballot) have been taken lightly without much thought by many. The next decision to actually withdraw your labour (or not withdraw, equally), will be the big one. The decisions made to date were on the back of BASSA spin, suggesting to crew that they would be ok, a strong mandate would be all that was necessary.
There will be much angst and tears amongst crews when, as looks likely, the strike call is made.
There will be much angst and tears amongst crews when, as looks likely, the strike call is made.
I, too, hope it doesn't come to it. It will damage our company. It will hurt our passengers. It will inconvenience our colleagues. It's a terrifying prospect.
That said, even as a fairly staunch Bassa member, I didn't put a cross in the box on the paper as soon as it arrived at my house. I sat and I thought about it for a couple of days. I didn't want to make that decision based on what I'd read on the Bassa website and what I'd heard from my reps. I wanted to make the decision based on ALL the information available to me from ALL sources. I made a point of having a coffee with a manager to hear the company's side of things one-on-one.
She made excellent points. Valid ones. At the end of the day, though, I made my decision and I have to live with it. I will, as will the majority of my colleagues.
You say these decisions were taken lightly, and I assure you that in most cases, they weren't.
I like to think I'm a fairly well respected member of the crew community and, for many, I'm one of the first points of call for people who have had questions about this situation but didn't want to bother a union rep. Again, I assure you, from the conversations I have had I can catagorically state that most people took a great deal of time when making their final decision to vote yes.
There's already angst and there have already been tears. The mere prospect of walking out is frightening. I'm petrified. We understand though that we need to do it to protect our terms and conditions AND to protect our union for the future.
Last edited by Eddy; 20th Jan 2007 at 15:07.
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Eddy
If you're going to side-step points, you have to do it better than that. (I don't literally mean 'have to', just that it would be less less obvious.)
M.Mouse has made some detailed points about the items tabled. Why don't you answer them?
Just a request from an interested outsider - your choice obviously.
If you're going to side-step points, you have to do it better than that. (I don't literally mean 'have to', just that it would be less less obvious.)
M.Mouse has made some detailed points about the items tabled. Why don't you answer them?
Just a request from an interested outsider - your choice obviously.
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 20th Jan 2007 at 15:35.
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Eddy
If you're going to side-step points, you have to do it better than that. (I don't literally mean 'have to', just that it would be less less obvious.)
M.Mouse has made some detailed points about the items tabled. Why don't you answer them?
Just a request from an interested outsider - your choice obviously.
If you're going to side-step points, you have to do it better than that. (I don't literally mean 'have to', just that it would be less less obvious.)
M.Mouse has made some detailed points about the items tabled. Why don't you answer them?
Just a request from an interested outsider - your choice obviously.
I didn't do so initially as I was somewhat disappointed by the tone in which Mouse chose to respond to me. His earlier post seemed civil and mature enough - the kind of person I'd be able to talk to about these issues without things getting petty or personal - sadly, I was shown his/her other approach in the subsequent response.
M.Mouse
I'm confused, you've certainly have operated to "that card" since it's just a precis of Section 10 of Bidline - are you saying you would be quite happy to junk Bidline in total and be rostered to industrial limits every working day?
As a retired NAPS member I wonder if any of you read Gullivers Travels by Jonathan Swift. Showed what a shallow lot us humans are. FD vs CC and vice versa. The management must be laughing their heads off. Its a tough world although I bet Jane Goody finishes having the last laugh. She has a good agent. The thread seems to be running out of steam. When will common sense prevail??? CC - how do you rate your union/s ? We all have to keep up with the times - even pensioners! 
the lunatic fringe
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Wiggy:
The card is a precis of industrial rather than the CAA legal flying hour limits. So in the event of a disruption most people work to the legal limits to get the job done. And indeed BA expect the pilots to work to those legal limits. If they do not, they had better have a valid reason.
We are rostered to our industrial agreement. We work on the day to legal CAA limits.
Quite what that has to do with junking bidline is beyond me.
The card is a precis of industrial rather than the CAA legal flying hour limits. So in the event of a disruption most people work to the legal limits to get the job done. And indeed BA expect the pilots to work to those legal limits. If they do not, they had better have a valid reason.
We are rostered to our industrial agreement. We work on the day to legal CAA limits.
Quite what that has to do with junking bidline is beyond me.
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Eddy
I don't doubt that you personally thought long and hard about your decision.
Anecdotally, people are reporting that cabin crew don't really know what the issues are, but voted as instructed by BASSA. Also, BASSA's own propaganda states that the '300' who actually stuck in 1997 were not sacked. Industrial law has changed since then, but never mind. So in 1997, 300 took strike action, yet 8000+ voted for it. That just backs up my post where I suggest that the 'easy' decision has been made; the 'hard' one is now imminent.
I don't doubt that you personally thought long and hard about your decision.
Anecdotally, people are reporting that cabin crew don't really know what the issues are, but voted as instructed by BASSA. Also, BASSA's own propaganda states that the '300' who actually stuck in 1997 were not sacked. Industrial law has changed since then, but never mind. So in 1997, 300 took strike action, yet 8000+ voted for it. That just backs up my post where I suggest that the 'easy' decision has been made; the 'hard' one is now imminent.
L337
Thanks for the explanation, but since I've already filled in a couple of Commander's Discretion report froms this year I didn't need it..but then I'm sure you knew that 
And the "valid reason" can be quite simply that Section 10 is the limit of your contractural obligation...as for "junking Bidline", nope, just strikes me that if someone thinks people fulfilling their contractural obligations "wish to behave in the best traditions of trade union militancy and obstructiveness" then you sure as heck should not be using the self same rule book to your own advantage on a monthly basis. ( Mouse, if you only ever Bid for Blind lines and never volunteer for Draft I apologise).
Frankly whilst, like many, I find BASSAs tactics bewildering, IMHO we pilots have to be very careful about trying gain the moral high ground here We will, I am sure, be looking down the barrel of Willie's gun at some point in the future, perhaps over pay or DFW shaping. We will then have the pleasure of justifying issues such as the Heavy captain, or even the provision of the heavy at all on some sectors.....but then we know all our agreements are reasonable and defensible, don't we
And the "valid reason" can be quite simply that Section 10 is the limit of your contractural obligation...as for "junking Bidline", nope, just strikes me that if someone thinks people fulfilling their contractural obligations "wish to behave in the best traditions of trade union militancy and obstructiveness" then you sure as heck should not be using the self same rule book to your own advantage on a monthly basis. ( Mouse, if you only ever Bid for Blind lines and never volunteer for Draft I apologise).
Frankly whilst, like many, I find BASSAs tactics bewildering, IMHO we pilots have to be very careful about trying gain the moral high ground here We will, I am sure, be looking down the barrel of Willie's gun at some point in the future, perhaps over pay or DFW shaping. We will then have the pleasure of justifying issues such as the Heavy captain, or even the provision of the heavy at all on some sectors.....but then we know all our agreements are reasonable and defensible, don't we
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And the "valid reason" can be quite simply that Section 10 is the limit of your contractural obligation.
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And I believe the issue was of refusing to offer 3 hrs discretion (as opposed to the 90 minutes he'd suggested) departing to the most dangerous place on our network with a forecast of CBs for the arrival time. He's now had a full apology from the management and has been reinstated.
Controversial, moi?
Eddy
I am sorry you dislike the tone of my posts for that I apologise. The reason is because I am so intensely angry that this mindless state of affairs is happening when I cannot for the life of me see any valid cause for a strike to be called.
If you care to respond and, presumably, justify the 12 issues at stake I promise I will avoid making snide remarks but enter into civilised debate.
wiggy
Bidline rules are there for all our guidance and the framework under which we operate. I have the privilege of being considered intelligent enough to decide when it is beneficial to our passengers and the company, which of course benefits me ultimately, to operate to the, usually, greater legal limitations. It is not everyday, it is nearly always due to external factors and I am paid a rate commensurate with my responsibilities and a rate which expects me to act in the interests of others even when that requires to work longer and harder than I am contractually obliged to.
The reason some choose to work purely to industrial limits is to retaliate over the many small issues which daily irritate flight crew. I prefer not to take that course.
As it happens I am mainly on blind lines and have not volunteered for draft for many years (been force drafted 3 times in the past 8 months though).
How about this little gem from the BASSA website members forum:
NO!!
YOU CAN NOT BE SACKED
Can we state once and for all for all you can NOT be sacked if you participate in lawul industrial action
BASSA's proposed action is LAWFUL
If any one from the flight crew community or even BA's managers, says otherwise please take their name and staff number and report them to BASSA.
Also feel free to inform them that their intervention and comments are bullying and harrasment, and ask them to keep their opinions to themselves.
This rumour also happened in 1997 and even though only 300+ went on strike NO ONE was sacked.
Please trust your union, BASSA, and listen to no one else, THEY have other agenda
Remember YOU CAN NOT BE SACKED
Nothing like healthy debate and free expression of opinion eh?
I am sorry you dislike the tone of my posts for that I apologise. The reason is because I am so intensely angry that this mindless state of affairs is happening when I cannot for the life of me see any valid cause for a strike to be called.
If you care to respond and, presumably, justify the 12 issues at stake I promise I will avoid making snide remarks but enter into civilised debate.
wiggy
Bidline rules are there for all our guidance and the framework under which we operate. I have the privilege of being considered intelligent enough to decide when it is beneficial to our passengers and the company, which of course benefits me ultimately, to operate to the, usually, greater legal limitations. It is not everyday, it is nearly always due to external factors and I am paid a rate commensurate with my responsibilities and a rate which expects me to act in the interests of others even when that requires to work longer and harder than I am contractually obliged to.
The reason some choose to work purely to industrial limits is to retaliate over the many small issues which daily irritate flight crew. I prefer not to take that course.
As it happens I am mainly on blind lines and have not volunteered for draft for many years (been force drafted 3 times in the past 8 months though).
How about this little gem from the BASSA website members forum:
NO!!
YOU CAN NOT BE SACKED
Can we state once and for all for all you can NOT be sacked if you participate in lawul industrial action
BASSA's proposed action is LAWFUL
If any one from the flight crew community or even BA's managers, says otherwise please take their name and staff number and report them to BASSA.
Also feel free to inform them that their intervention and comments are bullying and harrasment, and ask them to keep their opinions to themselves.
This rumour also happened in 1997 and even though only 300+ went on strike NO ONE was sacked.
Please trust your union, BASSA, and listen to no one else, THEY have other agenda
Remember YOU CAN NOT BE SACKED
Nothing like healthy debate and free expression of opinion eh?