Virgin Pilots
 

Rumors abound of a possible strike by Virgin Atlantic pilots. Is there any truth to this?

No - there's a vote that will likely result in a period of 'work to rule' meaning the majority will only fly their roster and not volunteer for uncovered flights. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail on all sides before it comes to that.

So, let's say it does come to that; what if a partner airline decides to add extra segments in order to mitigate any loss of block hours flown by Virgin....Would that airline's pilots be inadvertently flying "struck" work or otherwise scabbing?

I would argue that they would be doing exactly as you suggest. For that reason I'm sure they are unlikely to do it. If they did, it certainly wouldn't be inadvertent.

This is what the head of the union is saying https://vimeo.com/193526538/2dee49b9a2

Announced here not striking but will 'work to contract'.

Virgin Pilots
 

BBC just announced Virgin pilots to take action "short of strike action" from 23rd December.
What does that mean? Are they going to shout "I am very cross" when boarding their aircraft?

Maybe they have been told to hold short......

No doubt it will mean they will work by the book without extending any (legal) favours to the management. This may well result in some delays and cancellations of flights.

@KelvinD,

Liking the humour, but it's essentially the Virgin Pilots Union wanting recognition as the sole union of the company. It looks like it's' simply going to mean pilots won't offer favours for the operational management. Most likely refusing to use discretional flying or additional flying days/standby support.

SOURCE:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38347181

Well done the PPU now don't blink and stand firm...... unlike those clowns at BALPA did a few years ago!

Judean Peoples Front!
 

Hilarious watching as Unions spend their energy fighting each other rather than the Employer! Splitters

Virgin pilots and virgin stewardesses hoping to come together in the new year!

What's the % split between Virgin BALPA members and PPU members?

So what are they complaining about ?

I know, it's all about semantics, but if Virgin pilots and virgin stewardesses have been f**ked up by their management, can we still call them Virgin pilots and virgin stewardesses?

The PPU only exists to go on strike. They were formed by a disaffected bunch that weren't marched out on strike when they were desperate to do so. They HAVE to go on strike otherwise their whole reason for existence becomes irrelevant. It doesn't matter what the issue was, they'd call out a strike regardless.

However, the Company know all the above and will play their cards accordingly. The end result will not be to the greater good of the VS pilots.

What a shame.

In my previous company - one that desperately needed such action BALPA made it abundantly clear on numerous occasions over the years that "working to rule", such as turning up on time as opposed to the usual 20 minutes early in order to get a briefing done in the 5 minutes "allowed" or declining to go into discretion was illegal action and contrary to all union rules and agreements and would result in all sorts of personal sanctions.

Apparenetly, they said, if you habitually bend over and show up early (many FOs routinely turned up 30 mins before report time imagining it earned them kudos and always fraudulently declared an imaginary report time - frequently busting min rest) , require as much time as you actually need for a briefing (as opposed to how much the Co. "allows" you) or do discretion as a matter of course then you somehow de-facto agree to this as a normal part of your contract and by withdrawing it you are in breach of contract - despite what is being happily accepted by the company being demonstrably illegal, unsafe or by definition not theirs to expect, yet the flatly refuse to condemn such blatantly illegal procedures.

It's an outrageous abuse of the goodwill/desperation of particularly junior aircrew though this cancer is advancing through the ranks with seniority as airmanship gives way to P2F kowtowing as they are now increasingly taking over the LH seats. Not that my generation was much better at defending ourselves, we just had even less to lose.

Action short of strike... management must be quaking in their boots. What next? A very strongly worded letter? :rolleyes: