BA pilots vote to strike
Joined: Aug 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 473
Likes: 3
From: Al tube.
Dannyboy39 stated “But if it’s just a numbers game an 11.5% pay bump... that’s hard to comprehend. See the staff of Monarch, Air Berlin, Primera, Wow and other airlines struggling...”, well I’m one of those ex Monarch pilots who fully supports the BA pilots in their claim, having in the not to distant past, looked at what the opportunities were in BA and concluded the package was inadequate and went elsewhere. From what I see the offer basically keeps pace with inflation plus perhaps a little bit, but does not address previous shortfalls.
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
From: Uk
This perception of Balpa as some over-arching entity that decides the fate of all is a similar misnomer to pilots thinking they need public backing to carry out a strike.
Balpa is just an association you can join. It’s the members that dictate where the association goes.
Blaming Balpa “the association” for anything is a bit like blaming the autopilot for flying into a hill. Ultimately, maintaining the sustainability of a flying career for all current and future airline pilots is our responsibility as a collective. Balpa is just a vehicle.
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 630
Likes: 6
From: Canada
BA loses court bid to avert pilot strikes
- 24 July, 2019
- SOURCE: Flight Dashboard
- BY: Victoria Bryan
UK pilot union BALPA is giving British Airways "one last chance" to negotiate on pay and benefits after the carrier lost a High Court bid to prevent strike action.
Pilots on 22 July voted to strike over pay. The next day, a High Court judge ruled that the ballot had been issued correctly and that the result could therefore stand.
BA says it will appeal the judgement, but is also urging the union to return to talks.
"We are very disappointed with today's decision," stated the IAG-owned carrier on 23 July. "We will continue to pursue every avenue to protect the holidays of thousands of our customers this summer."
BALPA describes the delay caused by the court action as frustrating.
"BA could have spent this time coming back to the negotiating table instead of trying – and failing – to tie us up in legal knots," states general secretary Brian Strutton.
"We have still not set any strike dates to give BA one last chance to commit to negotiating on pilots pay and rewards with us at Acas later this week," he adds.
Strutton says the two sides are due to hold talks under conciliation service Acas on 26 July, but fears they may be postponed due to BA's legal appeal.
BA argues that its offer of an 11.5% increase over three years is "fair". BALPA warns that one day of strikes would cost BA more than what their pilots are asking for.
"The company itself has admitted that even one day of strike action would cost most than what our pilots are asking for, so the ball really is in their court here, to look after their pilots and ensure the hardworking public get to continue their holidays as planned," Strutton declares.
Pilots on 22 July voted to strike over pay. The next day, a High Court judge ruled that the ballot had been issued correctly and that the result could therefore stand.
BA says it will appeal the judgement, but is also urging the union to return to talks.
"We are very disappointed with today's decision," stated the IAG-owned carrier on 23 July. "We will continue to pursue every avenue to protect the holidays of thousands of our customers this summer."
BALPA describes the delay caused by the court action as frustrating.
"BA could have spent this time coming back to the negotiating table instead of trying – and failing – to tie us up in legal knots," states general secretary Brian Strutton.
"We have still not set any strike dates to give BA one last chance to commit to negotiating on pilots pay and rewards with us at Acas later this week," he adds.
Strutton says the two sides are due to hold talks under conciliation service Acas on 26 July, but fears they may be postponed due to BA's legal appeal.
BA argues that its offer of an 11.5% increase over three years is "fair". BALPA warns that one day of strikes would cost BA more than what their pilots are asking for.
"The company itself has admitted that even one day of strike action would cost most than what our pilots are asking for, so the ball really is in their court here, to look after their pilots and ensure the hardworking public get to continue their holidays as planned," Strutton declares.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 724
Likes: 24
From: UK
I don't remember any of the association crying out for JSS, it was BALPA CC that made (or accepted) the decision to bundle it in with a pay rise to get it passed. Personally I don't think it would ever have passed a clean vote of association members so the CC had to hide it in a bundle, pure politics.
I just find it ironic when people talk about “Balpa” as some foreign body who control the direction of the entire group. Balpa is the pilots who choose to join the association. Within each airline group we either act with unity and collective awareness or we look out for ourselves. As a result, we will reap what we sow. I think it really is as simple as that.
Its amazing what can be achieved by working together...
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
From: Uk
It shouldn't have been part of the pay deal, but the CC knew that would help it get passed so they put it in. And now thanks to BALPA we have JSS, the sad thing is, the people who forced it through don't have to suffer the consequences of their machinations as most of them still enjoy the benefits of a BALPA roster, apparently rejoining the line flying community is beneath them.
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 659
Likes: 10
From: The EU
Good luck from the rest of the industry. The people who make comparisons with NHS staff who "haven't had a pay rise for years" should focus on the NHS staff not having had a pay rise for years, rather than the employees of a company making shed loads of money. They NHS's empty coffers and inefficiencies shouldn't be a benchmark for private sector terms and pay.
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 1
From: 60 north
Go BA Go!!
Dear All
From an IFALPA member via NF ( Norsk FlygerForbund) Norwegian Pilot Assosiation.
Time to set things right, just like SAS did this spring.
We need You as a proud Flag Carrier to lead the way in recovering our pay and terms in Europe.
Go Go Go, err rather Park Brake set : Shutdown Checklist : Complete!
Until Management are ready with a proper and good proposal.
Timing is right, as I think the average PAX is thoroughly hooked on the Drug we push, namely absurdly cheap flight with great flexibility.
United we stand!
Regards
Cpt B
From an IFALPA member via NF ( Norsk FlygerForbund) Norwegian Pilot Assosiation.
Time to set things right, just like SAS did this spring.
We need You as a proud Flag Carrier to lead the way in recovering our pay and terms in Europe.
Go Go Go, err rather Park Brake set : Shutdown Checklist : Complete!
Until Management are ready with a proper and good proposal.
Timing is right, as I think the average PAX is thoroughly hooked on the Drug we push, namely absurdly cheap flight with great flexibility.
United we stand!
Regards
Cpt B
Last edited by BluSdUp; 27th July 2019 at 09:57. Reason: spelling
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 780
Likes: 10
From: Doctor's waiting room
A quick question for the BA Brethren.
I understand that those who intend to take part in industrial action are being requested to inform the company in advance and will temporarily lose their staff travel benefits. I am assuming this is until the end of the planned industrial action?
Given the number of you that commute by air to London, do you think there could be a sizeable number of commuters that voted for industrial action but quietly plan to continue working normally so that their staff travel remains unaffected?
I understand that those who intend to take part in industrial action are being requested to inform the company in advance and will temporarily lose their staff travel benefits. I am assuming this is until the end of the planned industrial action?
Given the number of you that commute by air to London, do you think there could be a sizeable number of commuters that voted for industrial action but quietly plan to continue working normally so that their staff travel remains unaffected?
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 351
Likes: 9
From: uk
I understand that those who intend to take part in industrial action are being requested to inform the company in advance and will temporarily lose their staff travel benefits. I am assuming this is until the end of the planned industrial action?
Given the number of you that commute by air to London, do you think there could be a sizeable number of commuters that voted for industrial action but quietly plan to continue working normally so that their staff travel remains unaffected?
2. No
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,726
Likes: 103
From: The Winchester
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 265
Likes: 164
From: Sunnydale
i believe her her response was (paraphrased) well someone should really tell our passengers that.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,726
Likes: 103
From: The Winchester
As for the Cabin crew and previous disputes: the threat of losing staff travel was made, it didn't stop many "commuters" in that community engaging in IA.
TBH it was funny looking how many of them post strike ended up as card holders and enjoyed all that went with it.....as I said, there are options other than BA staff travel if people need to get to/from work.
Last edited by wiggy; 27th July 2019 at 15:22.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 954
Likes: 64
From: england
I think ST is the last resort nowadays for many commuters, especially as Big Brother is watching your commuting and duty times. I gather more than a few commuters are using Easy and Ryanair so BA management can’t track you. A farcical state of affairs that means crew are arriving to work more tired than if they’d caught a BA flight and got a comfy seat.
What with the strong likelihood of a hard Brexit, that nobody voted for, it does seem to be the British way to persevere with a plan of action that has a worse outcome than the status quo.
What with the strong likelihood of a hard Brexit, that nobody voted for, it does seem to be the British way to persevere with a plan of action that has a worse outcome than the status quo.
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 387
Likes: 1
From: Centre of Universe
I think ST is the last resort nowadays for many commuters, especially as Big Brother is watching your commuting and duty times. I gather more than a few commuters are using Easy and Ryanair so BA management can’t track you. A farcical state of affairs that means crew are arriving to work more tired than if they’d caught a BA flight and got a comfy seat.
What with the strong likelihood of a hard Brexit, that nobody voted for, it does seem to be the British way to persevere with a plan of action that has a worse outcome than the status quo.
What with the strong likelihood of a hard Brexit, that nobody voted for, it does seem to be the British way to persevere with a plan of action that has a worse outcome than the status quo.
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 780
Likes: 10
From: Doctor's waiting room
Thanks for the clarification.
The information in my last post came from one of your colleagues but as we were both passing through security, there was little time to chat more.
Good luck to you all!
The information in my last post came from one of your colleagues but as we were both passing through security, there was little time to chat more.
Good luck to you all!
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,712
Likes: 602
From: Dark Side of the Moon
Whenever I have been involved in industrial action normally one of the first things the company has done it get the staff to notify if they are taking part in the said action. They do/did it under the guise of forward schedule planning and pay calculations etc but could certainly be used to withdraw perks like staff travel etc, don't expect them to play nice.