What have BALPA ever done for us?
Join Date: Jul 2000
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I think representation and the justification of the monthly fee depends on your personal circumstances, the company you work for and your own attitude towards work and responsibility. Whether BALPA do anything for you also depends on the same things. Value for money is quite a subjective judgement. There are probably people for whom it is a very good idea and people for whom it is a waste of money and lots in between. I think if BALPA were to offer more on the advice and services side and less direct intervention it would be a more worthwhile investment for those in smaller companies. It would also leave them less open to accusations of cosying up to large company management.
Coming back to the original point, do BALPA pay an insurance premium for legal protection or underwrite the risk themselves? If the latter then surely this is why there is a variation in the level of help received. They cannot possibly be a large enough organisation to underwrite these kind of risks effectively.
[ 02 December 2001: Message edited by: Bash ]
Coming back to the original point, do BALPA pay an insurance premium for legal protection or underwrite the risk themselves? If the latter then surely this is why there is a variation in the level of help received. They cannot possibly be a large enough organisation to underwrite these kind of risks effectively.
[ 02 December 2001: Message edited by: Bash ]
Uncle Pete
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Frodsham Cheshire
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I'm not anti BALPA.
I just wish they would do more at Head Office level for us and charge a more realistic fee for their many services.
I have seen two members of our CC go long term sick. Perhaps if BALPA Head Office had been more pro-active this may not have happened....
But then I'm only an outsider looking and not privy to the "big picture".
MP
I just wish they would do more at Head Office level for us and charge a more realistic fee for their many services.
I have seen two members of our CC go long term sick. Perhaps if BALPA Head Office had been more pro-active this may not have happened....
But then I'm only an outsider looking and not privy to the "big picture".
MP
Join Date: Nov 2001
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If the company act illegaly then any organistion can pursue them, it doesn't have to be BALPA. They have no more power then any other representative body. The insurance company ultimately picks up the tab.
Join Date: Aug 1999
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My experience is almost identical to Karma Police.
BALPA rep claimed "not to be aware of my situation". The same response he gave to other pilots in the same situation at the same company. Told he would contact me, by e-mail 3 weeks ago.
I'm still waiting.
This is the only time I've tried to use BALPA in my 3 years' membership and it is not good enough. Hence the cancelled subscription.
BALPA rep claimed "not to be aware of my situation". The same response he gave to other pilots in the same situation at the same company. Told he would contact me, by e-mail 3 weeks ago.
I'm still waiting.
This is the only time I've tried to use BALPA in my 3 years' membership and it is not good enough. Hence the cancelled subscription.
Alba Gu Brath
Join Date: Oct 2000
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BALPA is still a strong representative body in the UK as their recent success at JMC has proved. However, recent history has shown trade unions powers can diminish rather rapidly. You only have to look to miners, steelworkers or shipbuilders in the UK to realise that union membership is no guarantee of job or conditions, to say nothing of the events at GCHQ during the '80s.
It is worth bearing in mind events in the US in the '80s when a small number of idealogical union leaders came up against some hot-headed company CEO's. Whilst it could be argued that some of the airlines that disappeared during this time had existed beyond their natural lives, there were a large number of pilots cast onto the dole-queue as a result of the beliefs of their representatives.
The question is - Are BALPA working for me or are they more concerned with their own ideals and beliefs?
It is worth bearing in mind events in the US in the '80s when a small number of idealogical union leaders came up against some hot-headed company CEO's. Whilst it could be argued that some of the airlines that disappeared during this time had existed beyond their natural lives, there were a large number of pilots cast onto the dole-queue as a result of the beliefs of their representatives.
The question is - Are BALPA working for me or are they more concerned with their own ideals and beliefs?
