Jet2.com BALPA Recognition VOTE

[Spikedog]

This is now on the front page of the BALPA website:

REGISTER YOUR SUPPORT FOR RECOGNITION AT JET2.COM

As part of the process towards delivering recognition it is important to demonstrate that this goal has the full support of the membership and we call on you to participate in the survey and HAVE YOUR SAY.

• The main purpose of the petition is to demonstrate to the Company that BALPA does accurately represent the views of the majority of pilots at Jet2.

• It is available for ALL pilots at Jet2, ie BALPA members and non-members, to register their wish to see BALPA as the pilot's representative body.

• It is totally confidential and the names of individual pilots who sign it will be held on the secure server and only used statistically for the purposes of demonstrating the desire for recognition. Everyone can sign knowing that the result will be presented purely in terms of the percentage of pilots requesting BALPA recognition.

• It will be necessary to enter your details simply to verify that the vote is accurate and could be used as proof of backing for recognition. If evidence was ever needed to follow the statutory route to recognition rather than the much preferred voluntary route the voting details would only be released to independent officials who were representatives of the CAC, the Central Arbitration Committee, who adjudicate in such cases.

• It is extremely important that you register your support for recognition and make sure that your colleagues, both members and non-members, register their support as well.


BALPA - Jet2.comSupport

[Spikedog]

Keep voting guys/girls!

[unablereqnavperf]

Allow this shower in at your own peril gentlemen and ladies all it will do is cost you more money each month!

[al446]

unablereqnavperf

Would you like to put some meat on the bones of your prejudice?

[JW411]

al446:

Would you like to put some meat on the bones of your prejudice?

[al446]

jw411 - I have no, nor have I demonstrated, prejudice. I do however have a belief that a workforce is better protected by organising amongst themselves a collective that speaks and negotiates for them all and that the employer should recognise that collective, as enshrined in law. A quick trawl of my past posts will demonstrate that I am no recruiting sergeant for BALPA, simply a realist with a background in trades unions. I was simply challenging a post that takes a stance against this without but without posing any argument of justification. I would have thought my view of that being prejudice is reasonable.

OK with you?

[maat]

"I do however have a belief that a workforce is better protected by organising amongst themselves a collective that speaks and negotiates for them all and that the employer should recognise that collective, as enshrined in law"

It's been tried. From the days of the Fleet Rep Meetings to the present day Crew Council - it hasn't worked.

[al446]

If at first you don't succeed.........

Also very different climate these days.

[Looker]

I agree with Unablereqnavperf

I've just resigned from BALPA after 12 or so years of being a member. When I needed them to back me against a clear breach of contract by my employer all I got was hmmms, haws and a lot of hot air. In the end I had to rely on home ins legal cover to fund a solicitor to take up the case against my employer.

I used to dismiss the Dan Darers accounts of BALPA now I've experienced it first hand.

I'm sure you can find something more reliable/fun to spend £60 a month on.

[Captainkingkong]

Pop it in your pension with some tax relief worth about £90 a month multiply by 12 months and then how many years left to work ? A tidy sum me thinks

[maat]

I used to dismiss the Dan Darers accounts of BALPA now I've experienced it first hand.

What happened to the Dan Darers Looker?

[Looker]

Maat

Life's too short to spoon feed everyone who is too lazy to use the search function.

[Crosswind Limit]

Well it seems clear that not everyone supports Balpa recognition.
Put simply, if you support it then sign and if you don't then don't sign.
I'm not sure if everyone understands exactly what Balpa recognition would mean. I admit that I'm not entirely sure myself. My current understanding is that with Balpa recognition the Crew Council would become an elected Balpa Crew Council consisting of Jet2 pilots and that management would be legally obliged to consult with it on policy changes affecting Jet2 pilots. I don't think that if recognized all Jet2 pilots would have to become Balpa members and pay the subs.

[al446]

Crosswind

First off, I am not a pilot, member of BALPA or a recruiter for them.

I don't think that if recognized all Jet2 pilots would have to become Balpa members and pay the subs.

You are totally correct, under UK law nobody is obliged to join any collective unless it is a regulatory body such as BMA. This was brought in years ago to outlaw the practice of closed shops. As a trade unionist I am glad this happened as we must fight our corner harder to maintain our membership. The downside has been seeing those colleagues who enjoy the fruits of our strife but decide to save the paltry amount of subs by remaining non members. I have had several approach me when the sh1t has hit the fan asking for advice/representation. Too late.

As far as I know recognition would mean that the company would have to consult the union on changes of T&Cs, at present they may give you 90 days notice of imposing a change and it is up to each individual to fight this. With recognition the co must recognise the collective body and negotiate if the membership find it unacceptable. In the past the CC may have been consulted with recognition it must be, if so accepted by BALPA (more on that later).

It would also give you the right to take industrial action if agreement cannot be reached, without recognition every individual is exactly that and cannot withdraw labour without breaking their contract of employment, as a member of a recognised union you may do so with certain important caveats. This is a weapon that is not deployed lightly, unions exist to keep their members in work rather than out. The possibility of it being used is usually more than enough for companies to think twice before trampling over T&Cs, I can think of at least one loco operating in UK that has fought tooth and nail to avoid recognition, possibly because of this.

As I am not a pilot I have no idea how you elect your CC but would have thought that the majority on there already would be people with the best intentions towards those who elected them so probably ideal candidates for union membership and leadership.

Do bear in mind that any union is shaped by its members so you, if you joined, would be BALPA with a voice equal to all others. It is not the AA where you join to expect something, you join to be a part of it and participate to whatever level you wish. Nor is any union the answer to all the problems within their sector of operation. I have read several times on other threads about probs in other locos and the question "What is BALPA doing about it?", I think of CTC/OAA within EZY. The answer is they can do nothing overtly but can work behind the scenes and improve things to a certain extent even though they do not act directly for members.

I would also like to say as a bystander that the previous perception of BALPA being a home for BA only no longer applies, the chairman is an EZY pilot.

I have no idea how the T&Cs at J2 have held up but you seem to have done very well in comparison, recognition would simply mean that you keep it so.

[Captainkingkong]

Industrial action mentioned by the 3rd paragraph above, no wonder PM goes into meltdown.

[maat]

Life's too short to spoon feed everyone who is too lazy to use the search function

You don't know then.

[al446]

Industrial action mentioned by the 3rd paragraph above

Should I have left it later perhaps? then you post would have read "Industrial action mentioned by the 4th paragraph above", no difference to my mind. Or perhaps left it out? That would really have been remiss of me, would it not? It would be misinformation by omission.

A question was asked and I answered it in the least partisan manner I could, you may disagree with me and that is your perogative but I consider it better that people being asked to commit towards a certain direction be as well as informed as possible. I note that you express no other point of view apart from your imaginings of PM, who should have nothing to fear, especially if he reads my qualification of it shortly after. I do hope you read it as many who have a very closed mind on these matters may just glance over it. NO union wants to cause disruption in the workplace.

[tocamak]

al446, very good post indeed which highlighted especially the sense that the union is controlled by its members which also means that if the members are not prepared to get involved then really no-one else can be expected to do it.

[Crosswind Limit]

aI446, thanks for taking the time to explain. I'm sure it will help many to understand that BALPA recognition may help prevent errosion of T&Cs for Jet2 pilots without it spelling the demise of the airline.

[al446]

Thanks for that Crosswind.