BALPA a waste of money?
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Join Date: Apr 1999
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BALPA a waste of money?
Does anyone else think that the 1% we pay to BALPA is a waste of money?
Do we need a glossy magazine, a credit card, and loads of different company councils all negotiating wildly different agreements?
(Oh and I must really remember to logoff when I use public computers)
Do we need a glossy magazine, a credit card, and loads of different company councils all negotiating wildly different agreements?
(Oh and I must really remember to logoff when I use public computers)
Join Date: Apr 1999
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Balpa
If you are paying 1% then you are in a company with recognition.
As has been said many times, Balpa are only as good as those who help in the company council. If your CC is not doing its job, why not get involved instead of whinging from the sidelines...?
Just thank yourself that you are in a company who sees the benefit from having union recognition, there are a few companies out there who see unions as some form of militant subversants...
As has been said many times, Balpa are only as good as those who help in the company council. If your CC is not doing its job, why not get involved instead of whinging from the sidelines...?
Just thank yourself that you are in a company who sees the benefit from having union recognition, there are a few companies out there who see unions as some form of militant subversants...
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Balpa - a waste if money?
Of course it is, I'm surprised this topic has come up again. Myself and colleagues all joined and all then left after only a short period............. It really was a total waste of time and money. Its wrong to believe that you will get instant full legal cover, its at their discretion if they think the case warrants it.
Of course it is, I'm surprised this topic has come up again. Myself and colleagues all joined and all then left after only a short period............. It really was a total waste of time and money. Its wrong to believe that you will get instant full legal cover, its at their discretion if they think the case warrants it.
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Balpa are only as good as those who help in the company council.
Self interest.
Management aspirations.
Management plant ?
Management mole ?
Vulnerable to threats.
Frequent rotation of personnel.
Amateurish.
Lack of training.
Lack of experience.
Full time, demanding, job to hold down.
Zero reward.
Head office "support".
Great system !
Nice Guy!
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Was paying my dues to Balpa for over five years when one day I needed some legal advise regarding an incident at work, FOUR MONTHS later and many many requests by phone for advise/guidence I did recieve a call from Balpa, they were inquiring as to why I had just cancelled my subscription !!!!!
TGWU soon sorted the problem out
TGWU soon sorted the problem out
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Anthony,
Surely your list applies to any job staffed by democratically elected personnel.
Sounded like a job description for a government minister to me.
Diesel
Surely your list applies to any job staffed by democratically elected personnel.
Sounded like a job description for a government minister to me.
Diesel
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FlapsOne,
Duh???????
You dont seem to understand the problem? What if you bought car insurance and had a crash a week later and they told you sorry but we're not sure if you're covered - some insurance!!!!
I realise that all cases are different but when the hits the fan having some rep telling you that they need to think about it just isn't good enough for 1% of my hard earned cash............
The MSF section of AMICUS(TGWU affiliate) for £9 per month is FAR better value in my opinion. I'm amazed anyone still sticks with Balpa whos outside BA.
Duh???????
You dont seem to understand the problem? What if you bought car insurance and had a crash a week later and they told you sorry but we're not sure if you're covered - some insurance!!!!
I realise that all cases are different but when the
hits the fan having some rep telling you that they need to think about it just isn't good enough for 1% of my hard earned cash............The MSF section of AMICUS(TGWU affiliate) for £9 per month is FAR better value in my opinion. I'm amazed anyone still sticks with Balpa whos outside BA.
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BALPA have been very good in the past, most of us enjoy our current working conditions because of BALPA. That said in recent years they have lost the plot!
I have found them to be the tail trying to wag the dog on more than one occasion. They have forgotten rule number one, they work for the membership not the other way around!
I am still a member but may not be for much longer!
I have found them to be the tail trying to wag the dog on more than one occasion. They have forgotten rule number one, they work for the membership not the other way around!
I am still a member but may not be for much longer!
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Stress
That decision is not made by some 'rep' as you put it.
It's made by the legal dept - as with any case you take to any lawyer.
If a decision were made not to 'back' the case it would have nothing to do with not being covered, as you put it. It would have more to do with not having a reasonable case to begin with.
If you want a lawyer that will take any case - and your money - regardless of the probable outcome, then there are plenty of backstreet lawfirms who would be happy for the business.
I still can't understand how you made your decision in, as you quote, a short period of time. Did they not take a case of yours?
That decision is not made by some 'rep' as you put it.
It's made by the legal dept - as with any case you take to any lawyer.
If a decision were made not to 'back' the case it would have nothing to do with not being covered, as you put it. It would have more to do with not having a reasonable case to begin with.
If you want a lawyer that will take any case - and your money - regardless of the probable outcome, then there are plenty of backstreet lawfirms who would be happy for the business.
I still can't understand how you made your decision in, as you quote, a short period of time. Did they not take a case of yours?
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Flaps,
No I've never had a case for Balpa to refuse, our problem was different. The company wanted us to fly two totally different jet types AND operate in the left and right seat ie. 4 different crew positions for each pilot to fly in............... The firm would not agree that their proposal was unreasonable so we had to consult the Balpa technical committee for a professional analysis of the situation and a judgement which we could present to the firm.
Balpa didn't have a clue and failed miserably, they didn't know where to start. Some old boy there waffled on about 'flying a Chipmunk in the morning and a Nimrod in the afternoon without any problems' - very helpful comment........ My firm is a huge multi-national operating its own planes privately, when we consulted Balpa about us joining we were assured of full support even though we are a private operator. The fact was that they really didn't have a clue about corporate aviation but were happy to take the cash. Also trying to get a rep allocated to us proved extremely hard, no-one wanted to take us on.
In the end the safety issues involved with the firms proposal caused them to drop the matter and after such a bad start to our membership we all dropped Balpa.....................
No I've never had a case for Balpa to refuse, our problem was different. The company wanted us to fly two totally different jet types AND operate in the left and right seat ie. 4 different crew positions for each pilot to fly in............... The firm would not agree that their proposal was unreasonable so we had to consult the Balpa technical committee for a professional analysis of the situation and a judgement which we could present to the firm.
Balpa didn't have a clue and failed miserably, they didn't know where to start. Some old boy there waffled on about 'flying a Chipmunk in the morning and a Nimrod in the afternoon without any problems' - very helpful comment........ My firm is a huge multi-national operating its own planes privately, when we consulted Balpa about us joining we were assured of full support even though we are a private operator. The fact was that they really didn't have a clue about corporate aviation but were happy to take the cash. Also trying to get a rep allocated to us proved extremely hard, no-one wanted to take us on.
In the end the safety issues involved with the firms proposal caused them to drop the matter and after such a bad start to our membership we all dropped Balpa.....................
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BALPA
FOR YOUR INFORMATION BALPA ARE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY WITH 5 PILOTS SACKED OR ABOUT TO BE IN LOGANAIR, TWO OF WHICH ARE NOT MEMBERS.GET REAL IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU AND BALPA AND THE IPA IS ALL YOU'VE GOT KID
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Mr Strapp,
Firstly, it's rude to shout.
You will doubtless find that some Balpa members will not be totally pleased to find that thier hard-earned subs are to be used on non-members. Just watch!
As I said, if you want an insurance company, get one and the other policy holders won't make a fuss either.
Firstly, it's rude to shout.
You will doubtless find that some Balpa members will not be totally pleased to find that thier hard-earned subs are to be used on non-members. Just watch!
As I said, if you want an insurance company, get one and the other policy holders won't make a fuss either.
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Ducksoup,
You keep mentioning 'if you want an insurance company get one' -what do you really think most pilots join Balpa for? Is it for that excuse for a magazine called The Log or for the insurance scheme? Are you actually in this business? I've never met anyone (outside BA) who wanted anything from Balpa except the insurance................................ I'm surprised you seem to think otherwise.
You keep mentioning 'if you want an insurance company get one' -what do you really think most pilots join Balpa for? Is it for that excuse for a magazine called The Log or for the insurance scheme? Are you actually in this business? I've never met anyone (outside BA) who wanted anything from Balpa except the insurance................................ I'm surprised you seem to think otherwise.