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VS to ballot for strike action
I see from the BALPA website that VS pilots are to ballot for strike action:
Despite marathon talks that started in 2010 and despite the involvement of the Government's conciliation service ACAS, pilots in Virgin Atlantic have been unable to reach agreement with the airline on an overdue pay and conditions settlement. 'Pilots in Virgin have not had a pay increase since 2008,' said Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) which has over 85 per cent of Virgin Atlantic's 750 pilots in membership. 'During the tough years pilots have made sacrifices to help the business on the basis that fair pay would return. But that hasn't proved to be the case. The company is offering pilots an increase this year of 4 per cent, with 3 per cent next year and 3 per cent in 2013. The 4 per cent does not reflect the fact that pilots have not had a rise since 2008, and the proposed 3 per cent increases would mean that with inflation running at 5 per cent and likely to remain high, pilots would, if they accepted these increases, be in effect voting themselves years of wage cuts. 'We do not want a dispute but to date there has been no meaningful movement by the company and even the involvement of ACAS has not broken the logjam. 'With no-where left to go we have been left with no alternative but to give Virgin management notice of a ballot of Virgin Atlantic pilots for industrial action.' The secret ballot will go out on May 24. The ballot will last four weeks. 'Virgin's pilots feel very angry and disappointed at the way they are being treated after their sacrifices in 2008, 2009 and last year. The company is asking us to effectively sign up to 5 years of cuts in pay. We are not prepared to do that. We do not want a strike and have tried every way to avoid it. We regret this, but are resolute in our aim of fairness ,' Jim McAuslan added. |
well, you can only push people so far. I don't see many CEO's taking pay cuts, indeed corporate pay seems to continue its bid for the stratosphere.
Good luck to them, but I hope they have the balls for a big fight and I hope their union serves them better than Unite did BA's cabin crew. (edited for clearer English) |
VS was traditionally a low pay high job satisfaction company, ( even the ugliest mutt pilots can get lucky with a girl half their age). However, the employees saw red after noticing the perks Dickkie was affording himself. A pay deal being offered is a bird in the hand, as the next few years could well see a decline in the airlines loads, esp with a resurgent BA.
CX got 8% raise, their loCo operation got 5% , EK are looking at 5%. Turkish got 4% so VS managers ain't too far off the industry norm. Suck it up guys ... |
macdo
I hope the union serves them better than they did BA's cabin crew. |
yes, pardon my grammar, if I don't know that I may as well pack up and die:ugh:
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Perhaps this is the reason that we've seen so many 340's parked up on the cargo apron at Heathrow the past few days!!!!
Good luck! |
Good luck from FlyBE pilots, we're right behind you with our own logjam
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So cabin crew can't strike but pilots can? Why am I not surprised...
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Because VS Flight crew are not massively over paid compared to other airlines.... Why you are not surprised, is probably because some cabin crew have lived in an over paid fantasy land for quite some time...
Virginia, Just look at the first post. VS Pilots helped the company out during a time of need with productivity improvements etc, they did not just "Say NO" when asked to help out... |
With respect Virginia, there is a difference between calling a strike ballot after negotiating in good faith and exhausting all alternative avenues (as seems to be the case here) and a union diving head first into a strike after showing no serious intent to negotiate in the first place (see court evidence in BA/Unite cases).
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trevfly, whick LOCO have you mentioned with 5% pay:=rise?
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Good luck to the Virgin pilots. About time someone stood up to the continual decline of UK pilot salaries.
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VIR just announced a major UC sale lasting through to end Aug.
Is this to counter likely effect of bookings drought? - and does that indicate management are not considering any quick settlement? |
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