BA pilots 'prepared to strike'?
 

The full story is at BAPLA's new website http://www.befairba.org

Many BA pilots are incensed by Willie Walsh's inflammatory comments on the front page of last week's company rag.

He stated that the pensions deficit would not be allowed to stand in the way of BA's investment plans.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

The BA guys will never strike, as the BALPA membership will be split. Anybody with say less than 10 years to retire will be alright jack, all the new joiners are on a totally different scheme and will sit on the side lines and watch. The guys that will get stuffed will likely be those caught in the middle like cadets and guys less than 45 or so.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

I think you may be wrong Airbrake.

The troops are feeling as downtrodden and restless as they've ever been at present and the opportunity to re-assert our true value to the company might be jumped at. Nigels don't really like to rock the boat when it comes to paydeals etc, partly because all the papers will be full of 'greedy pilots' stories and make it difficult for us. Protecting our pensions is a wholly more 'reasonable' thing to go to war over.

Just my opinion, of course!

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Wrong Airbrake. I almost fall into your first category. I'll be at the brazier.

Alas I threw it away in disgust. If you look on the bafairba website you will see some articles, the gist is in there

ATB
Overstress

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Well we have had the check-in staff walk out, and GG dispute last year so this year its the turn of the pilots to mess up the summer, bets on for who it will be in 2007, cabin crew, engineers, cleaners,......

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Airbrake,
you cant know much about either the feelings or the facts surrounding what is going on at BA. I fall well outside of the figures that you quote will be striking if Willie lets it get that far.

I will be out on the picket line.


Depending on what the company actually goes for, I personally could be looking down the barrel of a 40% (yes forty) loss in pension. (The percentage loss is quite variable due to time served, rank, time till retirement etc)


The financial facts behind this are quite amazing.


BA is currently the worlds most profitable airline, yet run like a 1950s British Leyland Factory for ineffiencies rife throughout the other departments.

I dont think my 800 shorthaul hours the last year with NO overtime out of what must be the most treacleish airport in the world is ineffiecent

(Against a 900 hr legal limit, that many charter and scheduled carriers dont get anywhere near)


This productivity is gained from the pilots despite trawling between not only aircraft, but terminals during a multi sector days work and what should be rostered as a 4 hour day at any other airport being a 7 hour epic on every occasion at LHR.


Prehaps 'Profits despite negligence' should be the company moto instead?

Eat my shorts Willie. Ive had enough.


....and yes I do care greatly about the customers - those very people who pay my mortgage, but Im afraid that I have no option but to exercise my moral and legal right to try and to protect my families finacial security. One thing is for sure any Pilot strike will not be an ILLEGAL RECKLESS WILDACT STRIKE ACTION like the prvious 3 'actions'.

.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

NWT
The BIG differance if we walk is it will be a LEGAL strike. In that the company will have the required notice of the time and all members will be balloted.
By your response i take it you are either not in the pension fund (NAPS) or don't work for BA. Or i suppose you are just happy to let BA take your pension away when it suits them. Remember this isn't just pilots that are affected.
A strike is the last thing we want but if necessary we will do what ever it takes.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Hi,

Lots of us Engineers are fed up too. We'll be there at the gates when you need us!

PLM

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

you do your hours
gordon takes his cut
you dont mind cos you know the company will pay you when you retire
the airline you toiled all your life
the airline you helped being the world's fav airline
the airline you made sure by taking a pay cut during crisis (9/11) remember the rumour ba pilots were getting the cull and a strike was on the cards before it went all pear shape
then you storm the crisis and help the airline to achieve the status as the most profitable airline in the industry
well done guys
the new chap is so impressed with you lot he decided you dont need the pension he would rather spend it on ummm
let me think new paints on the tail fins,oh no that was the other bloke what's his name done it .
do not worry willie walsh is going to come up with a new idea as to how to spend the excess money he is going to save from not paying the DESERVED pension to flight crew .
and he knows he will succeed
strike is not the first option guys facts is
strike should be the last option bargain first
if all fails then strike

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Pondlifeman
Good to know we can count on your support. keep pushing the word around and encourage people to look at http://www.befairba.com

And

http://www.bacanaffordtopay.com

BALPA are shortly going to be producing stickers and flyers soon so expect to see plenty more flak heading WWs' way. :mad: :mad:

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

"the new chap is so impressed with you lot he decided you dont need the pension he would rather spend it on ummm"

.......a further large order of shiny new 777-300s. I hear on the grapevine that Boeings' press department have been told to keep schtum due to the current climate. Can a BA senior manager confirm or deny this ?

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Did hear a rumour that BALPA were thinking of offering Limited membership to UK CAA Licenced Engineers. I think that they must know that the Licenced people dont have any real representation.

Good if it were true.

LP

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Can't see the engineers joining BALPA, that would require backbone.:mad:

Up the BUFFs!:ok:

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

3GREENS,

I can also assure another group I would class as non militant are fed up too,the cabin crew.We have far less to lose as a lump sum but 30-40% of 10K will mean a lot when we are put out to pasture.
I am in BASSA (the more vocal union!!) but I have friends in CC89 and they to are feeling the same.

I certainly support my flight crew colleagues and point out to those who throw flipant comments your way,our pilots are professional people and a strike is their last option.
Having security for your retirement is very important to all and it takes something as serious as this to make them take of strike action.

Maybe WW needs to be warned by the City to wind his neck in because he's taking on something bigger than he's tried to chew before.
He may end up with the egg on his face when he is known as the shortest serving CEO at BA!!.

Beware BIG Willie,you're about to shrink in the cold!!:ok: :ouch: .

WTDWL.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Hi Airbrake,
I am nor sure you have actually thought your comments through, because although it is true that there are a small minority of BA co-pilots who have joined in the last couple of years ALL the Captains are either in NAPS or APS so none of the new joiners could actually crew any aircraft !

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Flywheel. It's not about crewing aircraft, ultimately BALPA has to get 51% of BALPA members to vote for a strike. The fact is that BA now has 3 different pension schemes and about 100 guys leaving each year. You can do the sums and figure out how long it will take before new joiners are in the majority. BA has to do nothing but wait and promise that all pensions will be honoured for the next 10 years or so.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Retirements more or less stop from this year onwards, it will be at least 15 years before theres a majority in the MPS.

Hopefully we will have forced a large increase in contributions by then, the new joiner "ballot" by BALPA was appalingly handled and shames us.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Dear Nigel,
Please go on strike so I can 'ave your job.
Ta muchly.

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Is that a typo?

Re: BA pilots 'prepared to strike'
 

Interstingly, there are rumours afoot that Alitalia pilots are contemplating a walk-out over the very same grounds. Mind you, it that happens there is a very real chance there'll be no work to return to.

Cabin Crew with SAS are also mulling some sort of action over the hiring of approx. 50 Chinese CC on roughly 1/5th the wage of a Scandyhooligan CC member. The CC Union is calling for them to be on the same terms; SAS says they're based in China and thus different terms apply (or something along those lines).