Virgin Atlantic Pilot Strike Ballot
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: UK
Sold out again
Having been sold out by BALPA in 2001/2002 does no one learn their lesson. I was involved with the TDC's for those who remember that body...we had to threaten BALPA with legal action to get them to represent us as expected & deserved based on the extortionate cost.....but alas a leopard never changes its spots & those whom think is does are deluded.....
I left BALPA (and VAA) & joined the TGWU as it was then & for 20% of the cost I got far better representation than BALPA ever offered.
Stand up to BALPA & the VACC.....97% is a massive protest vote.....dont let it go unheeded.
Good Luck
I left BALPA (and VAA) & joined the TGWU as it was then & for 20% of the cost I got far better representation than BALPA ever offered.
Stand up to BALPA & the VACC.....97% is a massive protest vote.....dont let it go unheeded.
Good Luck
Joined: Mar 2005
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 36
Likes: 1
From: Sunny side of the street!
Reckon a "surprise" NO vote is a distinct possibility. Despite the rhetoric trying to justify an embarrassing climb down and U-turn, the level of anger amongst our colleagues is palpable.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 107
Likes: 1
From: Wetter ( Ruhr )
BALPA
It seems nothing changes In the Airline world, Yet again Balpa have sold the Pilots down the River, I would never work for Virgin but I am surprised that the pilots use BALPA they could set up there own Organisation and save 1% a year I'ts probably more now. I think the old saying Is that BALPA stands for British Airways Line Pilots Association. I have another word for them that can't be Repeated on here
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 475
Likes: 0
From: UK
when are you lot gonna grow up? If a union takes a Scargill stand, last man and all that and kills off the industry, the union has lost the plot and are far too militant.
Yet when a union takes a more cautious stand and sincerely believes the company is at risk if they follow through with industrial action you have all been sold out.
Make your bloody minds up what you want. Fight to the end where everyone loses or sensible negotiation to improve on what's already a good deal.
You should also not lose sight of where your excellent terms and conditions originated. It certainly wasn't the generosity of any airline.
Yet when a union takes a more cautious stand and sincerely believes the company is at risk if they follow through with industrial action you have all been sold out.
Make your bloody minds up what you want. Fight to the end where everyone loses or sensible negotiation to improve on what's already a good deal.
You should also not lose sight of where your excellent terms and conditions originated. It certainly wasn't the generosity of any airline.
Joined: May 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Portugal
Hang on a sec here... Forgive my simplistic view here but there might be a reason for the Virgin CC to go through the motions in putting this offer to the members. If 97% rejected it first off then there should be no doubt that near on damn it 97% will reject it this time around.
Unless someone wishes to post the full details and background to this offer then I for one can't see this as a 'selling down the river' business from BALPA. Just a process that really only concerns VAA members.
Good luck guys and girls
Unless someone wishes to post the full details and background to this offer then I for one can't see this as a 'selling down the river' business from BALPA. Just a process that really only concerns VAA members.
Good luck guys and girls
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 15
Likes: 5
From: Shropshire
Forgive me for sounding naive but isn't the UK economy still very fragile? Wouldn't it be prudent to accept a 4% increase this year and review it again in 12 months time?
Surely any large salary increases awarded in the higher echelons of the company (post agreement) would be evidence/ammunition to support improved pay offers for the masses in due course.
It may be 'bluff' on the part of management at VS but is it worth taking the gamble, and potentially damaging the reputation, and financial health of Virgin Atlantic?
Surely any large salary increases awarded in the higher echelons of the company (post agreement) would be evidence/ammunition to support improved pay offers for the masses in due course.
It may be 'bluff' on the part of management at VS but is it worth taking the gamble, and potentially damaging the reputation, and financial health of Virgin Atlantic?
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 949
Likes: 0
From: Eu
I have no idea about the perceived abilities of the Virgin Co Council but it's hard to comprehend that they would lead the troops to the brink and then suddenly change their mind. There must be more to this scenario that what is posted here. If a CC recommend acceptance of a deal which is subsequently rejected that becomes very damaging to them. More often than not this is a result of poor comms or inability to get the message across. The truth is out there somewhere. It needs aired properly before you guys vote again.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 848
Likes: 0
From: Courchevel
Very true MrBenip, I'm coming to the conclusion that BALPA is run like a business just taking 1% off a relatively high earning group of individuals. I wonder how much Jim Mc earns etc.? It would be very interesting to find out! They seem to run a mile from any form of confrontation. I've heard that the deal was pretty much the same as the initial offer from the company. At bmi however, we don't even get an offer from the company and BALPA do absolutely nothing about it
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: UK
Count, I have asked around and according to several engineers it would seem they get the 'going rate' as do the cabin crew and check-in staff, so why is it that just the pilots are expected to subsidise the airline? To keep the thread on track is this the same at VS?
It feels as though there is an industry wide conspiracy to drive down pilot's terms and conditions although perhaps this is by now obvious to everyone. It sure is a shame when you feel the union representing pilots does not seem to have the will to address this slippery downhill slope.
I'm personally tired of hearing that we would drive the company out of business if we got the going rate, it seems VS are making the same threat as well now. Either they can afford to run an airline or they can't. I wonder how low will it go before pilots worldwide really kick-off, then Joe public might have to be charged a quid or two more per ticket.
It seems the airlines still have enough cash though to hose down the suited gods and top bean counters with obscene amounts of cash, whether they do a good job or not. I think this more than anything really ticks us off, because one thing is for sure its not the pilots that are dragging the companies fortunes down!
I guess at the end of the day it's all about supply and demand. I can't think of
any other profession where people are willing to pay to work. Rant over.
It feels as though there is an industry wide conspiracy to drive down pilot's terms and conditions although perhaps this is by now obvious to everyone. It sure is a shame when you feel the union representing pilots does not seem to have the will to address this slippery downhill slope.
I'm personally tired of hearing that we would drive the company out of business if we got the going rate, it seems VS are making the same threat as well now. Either they can afford to run an airline or they can't. I wonder how low will it go before pilots worldwide really kick-off, then Joe public might have to be charged a quid or two more per ticket.
It seems the airlines still have enough cash though to hose down the suited gods and top bean counters with obscene amounts of cash, whether they do a good job or not. I think this more than anything really ticks us off, because one thing is for sure its not the pilots that are dragging the companies fortunes down!
I guess at the end of the day it's all about supply and demand. I can't think of
any other profession where people are willing to pay to work. Rant over.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: hertfordshire
Exactly, the mob I used to work for makes pots of cash but still managed to show a loss through the winter so they could do us out of agreed payrise.
I would say that Virgin is probably doing just fine.
Good luck
I would say that Virgin is probably doing just fine.
Good luck
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: over the hill
As Mr B / Count VA have alluded to;- at bmi, as part of a multi-year pay deal in 2004/5 it was agreed that there would be salary negotiations to determine the remuneration levels for the final year of that pay deal.
Come the final year- no negotiation on the part of the airline ("there's no money left") Following a vote circa 90% in favour of action, BALPA were "shown the books", renegotiated & recommended to the pilots that we accept a new (not very different) "offer". Cue vote for acceptance & a 51% vs. 49% result in favour of new offer - which was a deal for a very modest increase; something like RPI + 1.5%, move up one increment on the scales, and at least RPI in the final (3rd) year.
A week later the company posts a £30M profit.
Come the final year of the above deal, following assurances by the CEO in December 2008 that "the RPI increase would be honoured", in the week that the increase was to take place, many pilots (myself included) had increased salaries withdrawn from our bank accounts & re-credited with a non-increased salary a few days later. ("there's no money left")
Said CEO then has the audacity to answer questions on BBC's programme "Working Lunch" saying that he never took money from anyone's account (sure- he didn't, but the payroll firm employed by him certainly did- on someone's orders)
In the same year (2009) that all the pilots had an enforced pay freeze (which, incidentally still extends to today & will the way things are looking turn out to be a 3 year one) - it turns out that the guy that told us there was no money left allegedly awarded himself a 300% pay rise taking his salary to £1.5M just before he buggered off, no doubt also enhancing his pension in the process just as our FS pension was closed.
I know this post is slightly off-thread, but it demonstrates the kind of people that are running the airlines today;
The guys on the CC are pilots, not accountants- I have to say that I'm sure if I were shown a set of figures that indicated a poor financial position, I wouldn't know whether they were truthful or total BS. What level of accountancy skills do the guys at big BALPA have when analysing the data the company puts before them? Moreover, would it be possible for someone with the right skills to spot a bit of creative accountancy by the airlines?
For all the money that BALPA receives, is the weak link the lack of ability of the union to spot that you're being sold down the river come negotiating time?
I'm not knocking any of the CCs, merely suggesting that at a national level there might be a lack of ability to counter the (obviously) very skilful, and (definitely) very devious practices by some (or most) of those running the airlines. (BTW I'm still a member of BALPA- living in hope).
Come the final year- no negotiation on the part of the airline ("there's no money left") Following a vote circa 90% in favour of action, BALPA were "shown the books", renegotiated & recommended to the pilots that we accept a new (not very different) "offer". Cue vote for acceptance & a 51% vs. 49% result in favour of new offer - which was a deal for a very modest increase; something like RPI + 1.5%, move up one increment on the scales, and at least RPI in the final (3rd) year.
A week later the company posts a £30M profit.
Come the final year of the above deal, following assurances by the CEO in December 2008 that "the RPI increase would be honoured", in the week that the increase was to take place, many pilots (myself included) had increased salaries withdrawn from our bank accounts & re-credited with a non-increased salary a few days later. ("there's no money left")
Said CEO then has the audacity to answer questions on BBC's programme "Working Lunch" saying that he never took money from anyone's account (sure- he didn't, but the payroll firm employed by him certainly did- on someone's orders)
In the same year (2009) that all the pilots had an enforced pay freeze (which, incidentally still extends to today & will the way things are looking turn out to be a 3 year one) - it turns out that the guy that told us there was no money left allegedly awarded himself a 300% pay rise taking his salary to £1.5M just before he buggered off, no doubt also enhancing his pension in the process just as our FS pension was closed.
I know this post is slightly off-thread, but it demonstrates the kind of people that are running the airlines today;
The guys on the CC are pilots, not accountants- I have to say that I'm sure if I were shown a set of figures that indicated a poor financial position, I wouldn't know whether they were truthful or total BS. What level of accountancy skills do the guys at big BALPA have when analysing the data the company puts before them? Moreover, would it be possible for someone with the right skills to spot a bit of creative accountancy by the airlines?
For all the money that BALPA receives, is the weak link the lack of ability of the union to spot that you're being sold down the river come negotiating time?
I'm not knocking any of the CCs, merely suggesting that at a national level there might be a lack of ability to counter the (obviously) very skilful, and (definitely) very devious practices by some (or most) of those running the airlines. (BTW I'm still a member of BALPA- living in hope).
Last edited by skip.rat; 25th July 2011 at 22:00.
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: london
I got the impression while looking to book that any possible pilot strikes later this year, are resolved so I assume they must have accepted the pay offer.
Any idea if the details of the offer will ever become public, and how many actually voted to accept, it I doubt it was as high as the number voting to strike before.
Any idea if the details of the offer will ever become public, and how many actually voted to accept, it I doubt it was as high as the number voting to strike before.