BA pilots vote to strike
Joined: Jul 2006
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 218
Likes: 15
From: Barcelona
https://www.balpa.org/Media-Centre/P...egal-challenge
BA have had their appeal dismissed. Kudos to BALPA for having their ducks in a row on this. Keep up the good fight!
BA have had their appeal dismissed. Kudos to BALPA for having their ducks in a row on this. Keep up the good fight!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
From: uk
https://www.balpa.org/Media-Centre/P...egal-challenge
BA have had their appeal dismissed. Kudos to BALPA for having their ducks in a row on this. Keep up the good fight!
BA have had their appeal dismissed. Kudos to BALPA for having their ducks in a row on this. Keep up the good fight!
And they should engage decent PR people to get their message across. eg immediate rebuttal of management’s disappointment at pilots threatening passenger travel plans, stating we are disappointed at management’s position forcing the pilots to feel it necessary to consider such drastic action.
In fact getting that out ahead of corporate spin is the way to go.
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 666
Likes: 0
From: Earth
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
From: Uk
I was told by a neighbour on our street that I should be ashamed of myself. He said it’s disgusting that I am earning 200k whilst others struggle........FFS........I don’t earn half that and thus far I have not done anything. I certainly don’t feel “safe and secure” when the company allows these articles to go unchallenged
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Blighty
I was told by a neighbour on our street that I should be ashamed of myself. He said it’s disgusting that I am earning 200k whilst others struggle........FFS........I don’t earn half that and thus far I have not done anything. I certainly don’t feel “safe and secure” when the company allows these articles to go unchallenged
To a large degree most people have a choice in life regarding their career path. I’m guessing your neighbour had that choice also.
I’m a commercial pilot for a well known UK airline - and I’ve been shocked quite frankly at BA management’s industrial behaviour.
In a word - amateur
May I suggest that those critics amongst you take time to consider the facts before commenting so ignorantly.
Had the Daily Angry and the like actually done so then what they would have reported would have been fact.
But hey - never ever let the truth get in the way of a “good” story. !
The very best of luck to our fellow UK pilots in BA
Enough is enough quite frankly
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 460
Likes: 19
From: A little south of the "Black Sheep" brewery
-- then --
Not the time to get thin-skinned now!
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,726
Likes: 103
From: The Winchester
TBH Paul in the current climate I'm not sure many pilots hold the anniversary date dear to their hearts, and anyway some of the special company events, such as HM the Queens visit to company HQ, have already happened.
If the date of the (alleged
) 100th anniversary falls within the nominated dates for Industrial Action (IA) and that IA takes place then personally I can't see it escaping the disruption.
If the date of the (alleged
) 100th anniversary falls within the nominated dates for Industrial Action (IA) and that IA takes place then personally I can't see it escaping the disruption.
Last edited by wiggy; 2nd August 2019 at 06:15.
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 170
From: uk
Morning all
I have just been walking my dog with a neighbour who has return flights to Denver booked with BA in September. He has no connection with aviation whatsoever and is thoroughly bemused as to why BA pilots are not content with the three year deal that is on offer from their employers. As I have been out of the industry since retirement three years ago ( not BA ), could someone give me a simple one paragraph reason as to why this deal is unacceptable - I can then pass it on to my chum.
Thanks in anticipation - I take no sides in the issue whatsoever !
I have just been walking my dog with a neighbour who has return flights to Denver booked with BA in September. He has no connection with aviation whatsoever and is thoroughly bemused as to why BA pilots are not content with the three year deal that is on offer from their employers. As I have been out of the industry since retirement three years ago ( not BA ), could someone give me a simple one paragraph reason as to why this deal is unacceptable - I can then pass it on to my chum.
Thanks in anticipation - I take no sides in the issue whatsoever !
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,726
Likes: 103
From: The Winchester
beamer..
First question would be what does your friend think the three year deal is?
The sensible will recognise a need to take care in 100% candidly and honestly answering your quite reasonable follow up question..I have been looking around for a suitable BALPA sanctioned public statement/press release but so far have failed to find one.
First question would be what does your friend think the three year deal is?
The sensible will recognise a need to take care in 100% candidly and honestly answering your quite reasonable follow up question..I have been looking around for a suitable BALPA sanctioned public statement/press release but so far have failed to find one.
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: South London
I will have to look at the IAG Annual Report to see which numbers you are picking up. I don't know the history between BA and the pilots; apparently they took a salary cut or changed T&C's when things were lean? However, one thing I do find strange about BA employees' perception on how BA as a firm should behave it is the idea that it is workers cooperative, where the fruits of the labour and rewards are equally shared. I get the impression that this is a legacy from being a State owned airline which hasn't quite diminished.
Joined: Apr 2012
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 400
Likes: 18
From: UK
From what I can see as an outsider the main problems with the deal are as follows:
(i) The pilots took a pay cut when BA was struggling but now that the airline is performing well financially the pay cut hasn't been repaid after being adjusted for inflation.
(ii) The proposed deal is supposedly in-line with inflation, however unspecified productivity demands labelled as "management changes" are being made of pilots which could affect the pilots' quality of life/fatigue. Productivity related pay increases should be discussed over and above the inflation part of a pay deal when things are going well and it should be specified exactly what these productivity changes are.
(iii) There doesn't seem to be any inflation lock on the proposed deal, at least where I work pay deals take the form of "RPI +x%" or "£x or RPI whichever is greater", so if inflation rose, pilots would still be out of pocket.
(iv) General dissatisfaction at large with the way the airline is being run, especially regarding rostering and accomodation.
It may be true that BA isn't a workers co-operative, however that's one of the main reasons why trade unions were formed, to strengthen the workers' position in negotiations with the forces of capital. The capital/labour relationship is a two-way one, without labour capital doesn't develop and without capital, there is no-one to employ the labour force.
(i) The pilots took a pay cut when BA was struggling but now that the airline is performing well financially the pay cut hasn't been repaid after being adjusted for inflation.
(ii) The proposed deal is supposedly in-line with inflation, however unspecified productivity demands labelled as "management changes" are being made of pilots which could affect the pilots' quality of life/fatigue. Productivity related pay increases should be discussed over and above the inflation part of a pay deal when things are going well and it should be specified exactly what these productivity changes are.
(iii) There doesn't seem to be any inflation lock on the proposed deal, at least where I work pay deals take the form of "RPI +x%" or "£x or RPI whichever is greater", so if inflation rose, pilots would still be out of pocket.
(iv) General dissatisfaction at large with the way the airline is being run, especially regarding rostering and accomodation.
It may be true that BA isn't a workers co-operative, however that's one of the main reasons why trade unions were formed, to strengthen the workers' position in negotiations with the forces of capital. The capital/labour relationship is a two-way one, without labour capital doesn't develop and without capital, there is no-one to employ the labour force.
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
From: Scandinavia
Fellow pilots with BA and elsewhere!
Avoid discussions in media. Avoid discussions with dog walking neighbors. I'm with SAS and we recently survived a wee long strike where representatives of the airline industry in Scandinavia desperately tried to hang us out in media with salaries etc.
Trust your union, your colleagues and yourself. Best of luck!
Avoid discussions in media. Avoid discussions with dog walking neighbors. I'm with SAS and we recently survived a wee long strike where representatives of the airline industry in Scandinavia desperately tried to hang us out in media with salaries etc.
Trust your union, your colleagues and yourself. Best of luck!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 593
Likes: 105
From: London
I will have to look at the IAG Annual Report to see which numbers you are picking up. I don't know the history between BA and the pilots; apparently they took a salary cut or changed T&C's when things were lean? However, one thing I do find strange about BA employees' perception on how BA as a firm should behave it is the idea that it is workers cooperative, where the fruits of the labour and rewards are equally shared. I get the impression that this is a legacy from being a State owned airline which hasn't quite diminished.
Quite some years ago I owned and ran a small aviation related company. My small team were paid for the work they did, regardless. However when we made good profits, we usually did, I shared that success with them in the form of a Christmas bonus. It worked, they had something tangible to show for their loyalty and good work, not just fine words.
Now, I wonder, just what the Directors in BA receive as THEIR profit related bonus ( directors ’bonuses are very tax efficient) and how that is related to company profits and why key staff should not, similarly, share in success.
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 158
Likes: 10
From: Farnborough Hants
In the case of BA and no doubt, many other firms, the fact that they are run by people who are, to put it kindly, complete a**holes, doesn't help matters.....
Joined: Jul 2006
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 218
Likes: 15
From: Barcelona
I will have to look at the IAG Annual Report to see which numbers you are picking up. I don't know the history between BA and the pilots; apparently they took a salary cut or changed T&C's when things were lean? However, one thing I do find strange about BA employees' perception on how BA as a firm should behave it is the idea that it is workers cooperative, where the fruits of the labour and rewards are equally shared. I get the impression that this is a legacy from being a State owned airline which hasn't quite diminished.
Perhaps you can explain why Jet2 offer their pilots a profit share or EasyJet offer theirs a share save scheme?
IAG Executive management were asked by analyst investors today who will win as the match between BALPA & BA management goes into a penalty shoot out. Alex Cruz didn’t have much to say. Keep up the good work BALPA. Your colleagues in other airlines and associations Europe wide are right behind you
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 170
From: uk
Wiggy - my pal is under the impression that the deal on offer is 11.5% over three years. Whether there are conditions attached such as increased productivity or reduced 'benefits' in lieu, I have no idea as I have not been following the issue that closely. The BA pilots I know tell me that they want an increased share of BA profits to retain their position relative to other 'major' carriers.
As I said earlier, I have absolutely no axe to grind on this one but there must surely come a point when public perception about potential strike action becomes a very pertinent factor. Would I normally consider BA to travel - yes, would I think about booking with them until this issue is settled - no.
As I said earlier, I have absolutely no axe to grind on this one but there must surely come a point when public perception about potential strike action becomes a very pertinent factor. Would I normally consider BA to travel - yes, would I think about booking with them until this issue is settled - no.