BA pilots vote to strike

[Mizar]

That's going to be funny for our customers.
Sorry sir/madam your previously cancelled flight has now been reinstated. Any chance you are still interested to fly?

[Xulu]

Balpa general secretary Brian Strutton said: "Someone has to take the initiative to sort out this dispute and with no sign of that from BA, the pilots have decided to take the responsible course.

Oh dear. It is management that is supposed to back down in order to protect the brand, not the workers.

What a let down.

[hunterboy]

With such an inept, tin ear management in place, it falls once again for the staff to take the long term view and protect the company and the brand.
Let’s wait and see what develops.

[RoyMunson]

I think Willie and Cruz will be 'raging'. I think BALPA may have pulled a blinder on this. What are BA going to? Reinstate all the cancelled flights? I guess they are going to have and fly the aircraft empty or near empty and pay the crew. Not going to cost as much as before but still a lot of aggro and lost revenue.
And it could happen next month? Dates haven't been announced......yet

[sprite1]

Yep. BA/IAG are having rings run round them.

If they agree to meet on 27th - BALPA look good.

The pilots will get paid for reporting for duty on the 27th.

If BA don’t budge at the meeting - BALPA walk away saying we tried, now for more strikes more often.

If BA amend their offer, it’ll be a win for BALPA. It’ll have to be a meaningful gain on the current pay offer though.

Put simply:- BA are on the back foot here and boxed in.

I wish my union had this current union Exec Council reps.

[PPRuNeUser0204]

Originally Posted by Xulu

Oh dear. It is management that is supposed to back down in order to protect the brand, not the workers.

What a let down.

Seriously? The flights have already been cancelled. BALPA has caused a lot of disruption and pain to BA. By cancelling the strike the airline has to pay the pilots but the damage has already been done. Stroke of genius more like.

[highflyer40]

Originally Posted by sprite1

Yep. BA/IAG are having rings run round them.

If they agree to meet on 27th - BALPA look good.

The pilots will get paid for reporting for duty on the 27th.

If BA don’t budge at the meeting - BALPA walk away saying we tried, now for more strikes more often.

If BA amend their offer, it’ll be a win for BALPA. It’ll have to be a meaningful gain on the current pay offer though.

Put simply:- BA are on the back foot here and boxed in.

I wish my union had this current union Exec Council reps.

Anyone that can see this as anything but a complete compitulation by the union is in a dream world. You have been hung out to dry!!

6 months down the line BA will offer the same 11.5% and a reinstatement of benefits and the union will accept and say they won.

[2 Whites 2 Reds]

Originally Posted by highflyer40

Anyone that can see this as anything but a complete compitulation by the union is in a dream world. You have been hung out to dry!!

6 months down the line BA will offer the same 11.5% and a reinstatement of benefits and the union will accept and say they won.

Hmmm I too had the same cynical view on first glance at DB 47 and 48 this afternoon. Then had a think about it and came to the conclusion that this maybe a very tactical move after the company already cancelled most, if not all, of the schedule for a day where we're now turning up to work and require paying. Not sure how much can be reinstated at this point but with less than 2 weeks to go, one would imagine most customers have made alternative plans at BA's expense.

In any case, I hope this period of grace for BA will allow some time to reflect on the damage already done to the brand and the damage yet to be done should negotiations not move forward.

[JPJP]

Originally Posted by BleedingOn

Not sure about southwest but the Delta paydeals have been about getting back to where they were prior to the September 11th attacks. With chapter 11 protection came many redundancies, a complete surrendering of the entire pension scheme and a circa 40% pay cut IIRC. No doubt they are very well remunerated now though! They also have a profit related bonus scheme...

Thats a fair point. However; how far have BA pilots terms and conditions been dismantled over the last twenty years ? It seems like a similar fall, without the subsequent rise. There has been no return to a premium contract that rewards them commensurately with their contributions and sacrifices.

Now is the time.

[Alycidon]

"Now is the time" for what?
BA is the Austin Allegro of the airline industry. The competition are way ahead of you.
Alex Cruz = Michael Edwardes
Bye Bye BA, oh who said that?
Answers only accepted from a pilot who can spell "wry"..

[77]

What next.

Ok guys I am retired but I wish you luck. I think Balpa has made a very shrewd move. Keep the management guessing. This is a high stakes situation and one you cannot afford to lose. Be strong, this is a management that has no scruples. They have no interest in the long term future of BA, only their bonus.

[77]

Originally Posted by Archive mole

Hmm, as BA customer who has seen his long-planned holiday travel screwed by a bunch of overpaid bus drivers, I beg to differ.

I am sure that as a loyal BA customer the flight crew will regret spoiling your holiday. However you just shot yourself in the foot with the overpaid bus driver remark. Politely very regrettable. Regards.

[Busdriver01]

Originally Posted by Archive mole

Hmm, as BA customer who has seen his long-planned holiday travel screwed by a bunch of overpaid bus drivers, I beg to differ.

It’s almost a compliment. The industry has managed to raise safety standards to the point where the general public has forgotten quite how serious flying is. Couple that with a huge misconception of what the ‘autopilot’ actually does or how it operates, and it’s almost easy to see why this mistake is made.

OP: I only hope for your sake that you are never in a situation where you find out just how skilled your pilot truly is.

[beachbumflyer]

Originally Posted by Archive mole

Hmm, as BA customer who has seen his long-planned holiday travel screwed by a bunch of overpaid bus drivers, I beg to differ.

You really have no idea of what you are saying.

[Maxfli]

Originally Posted by Archive mole

Hmm, as BA customer who has seen his long-planned holiday travel screwed by a bunch of overpaid bus drivers, I beg to differ.

🙈
I don’t think you want to be on a flight where the overpaid bus drivers actually have use all of their experience, skill and training when demanded of them.

[overstress]

At the risk of feeding the troll, archive mole, why visit a professional pilots forum and start throwing comments like that around? Do you thrive on conflict?

[101917]

Pilots appear to be quite sensitive souls. Perhaps they know their job will be coming to an end in the near future with pilotless aircraft. However, you got to have a laugh at the reasons they use to justify their recent cave in on the strike. I suspect they are the only ones convinced.

[Rocket Ron]

Originally Posted by 101917

Pilots appear to be quite sensitive souls. Perhaps they know their job will be coming to an end in the near future with pilotless aircraft. However, you got to have a laugh at the reasons they use to justify their recent cave in on the strike. I suspect they are the only ones convinced.

Looking forward to you being one of the passengers on the first flight of a pilotless plane.

[77]

Archive mole

You certainly have some experience. Unfortunately it seems to have made you a very disgruntled person. To describe fellow pilots as bus drivers is out of order. The comment is more suitable for one of the picture newspapers, not here please.

[Northern Monkey]

I think it was a fairly shrewd move by BALPA.

It's still going to cost BA an absolute fortune, but all the pilot's will get paid.

It also puts the ball firmly in BA's court in terms of returning to negotiations. And BALPA give up nothing. Further strike dates can be announced as required.