British Airways - the truth

[John]

What progress is this then?

[cheddar-caveman]

Even if BA survive this round of strikes, and continue operating, I doubt it will be long before they go under due to the knock-on effect.

Having now had my flight to Canada cancelled, with all the distress and agro it is causing, my family, and I'm sure many more of "us" out there will never use BA again simply because we can't trust them

[John]

Of course BA will survive (if it wants and it is not for take-over money making purposes to collapse etc.). For many air travel is no different from catching a bus. Some buses get cancelled, fail to turn up.

It is a question of scale and the amount of preparation. Fortunately we live in times where it costs very little in real terms to contact most parts of the World, without charge in some scenarios. This allows all to know what is going on. For someone with loads of money, it is just a question of alternatives.

It is frustrating when plans are scuppered by other matters but it is not the end of the World. People are let down every day all day in many areas of daily life. Again that is a matter of scale, some will even take their lives as a result.

BA is a Company. Companies collapse and are wind up every day in the UK.

Would I be annoyed with a cancelled flight - of course I would, but at least I haven't turned up at the airport and found out...

[Papaumau]

The only power that a working person has is the power of his or her union !

Without this power the greedy and care-nought employers would take industrial relations right back to the dark ages !

[John]

Agreed.

There would be even more bullying in the workplace as well.

You do not have to look too far for the exploitation of people
without Union or other representation.

[Hugh]

Just who is bulling who It seems to me the only people who want to strike in BA are at Heathrow so why haven't they given a little thought to members at other airports who see reason and know why changes have to be made. This union are just showing their power and trying to bring every one out on strike while they are still collecting their quite high wages.

[cheddar-caveman]

Excerpts from the latest news release (to save you flogging through the whole thing. By gum, it's rattling along just as Unite would like so that they can justify their salaries! I wonder what perks they stand to lose?

A fresh row has flared at British Airways after the airline told cabin crew who went on strike for three days that they will lose their travel perks.

Members of Unite who took industrial action for three days from last weekend have now received letters telling them they are losing the perks.

A BA spokesman said: "Our cabin crew knew that if they took part in the strike they would lose their staff travel permanently. Staff travel offers heavily discounted travel to employees. This is a non-contractual perk that the company can withdraw at its discretion.

A Unite spokesman said: "This is the clearest possible example of BA's bullying and contemptuous approach to its employees. Cabin crew showed last weekend that they will not be intimidated. Unite will challenge this vindictive move in whatever way seems appropriate."

[John]

Bullying at the highest level by BA.

The so called travel perks are 'fill ups' or 'one or two' staff seats.

They are certainly nothing you could actually rely on if tickets are otherwise sold.

I wonder how big the 'I wouldn't fly BA because of the way they treat their staff' group is.

I am a member, unless there is no other way to get somewhere or other package.

[cheddar-caveman]

Ah, like me again John, prepared to "never use them again" but only if there's an alternative.

Regarding the persk, I don't call this bullying, just carrying out what they have always said and done. Over the years, with every strike the BA staff have carried out, and there have been plenty of them, this has been the policy, and all staff know it! Why on earth should any company carry on giving perks to people intent on destroying it. Personally I'd sack the bloody lot, there are plenty of people out there who could fill their places and be glad they had a job!

[Hugh]

Ah, like me again John, prepared to "never use them again" but only if there's an alternative.

Regarding the persk, I don't call this bullying, just carrying out what they have always said and done. Over the years, with every strike the BA staff have carried out, and there have been plenty of them, this has been the policy, and all staff know it! Why on earth should any company carry on giving perks to people intent on destroying it. Personally I'd sack the bloody lot, there are plenty of people out there who could fill their places and be glad they had a job!

Yes sack the lot, and let them return to work under a new contract. If a company not working at a profit then something serious as to be done. They had a good innings when times were good now its pay back time.

[cheddar-caveman]

A man after my own heart Hugh!

Like employees in most of our services and companies, BA staff have always been paid well above the airline average for the job due mainly to the continual blackmailing by the unions over the years. BA have had to captulate or go under.

Now they have put their foot down and yes, I bet they would just love to kick the whole lot out and start again with sensible contracts but probably can't legally do that. In the meantime it is us, the fare paying customers who are taking the brunt of this totally unacceptable (union) behaviour. I think the long term prospects for BA are pretty grim as even if they pull through this, they will lose many prospective customers in the future simply due to lack of trust.

[Papaumau]

I guess that this comes down to who one wants to support eh ?

Do Hugh and CC want to support BA against the needs of the workers or do they feel that the workers need no such support ?

That aside I am CERTAIN that not one of the members of Unite want to lose their jobs if BA goes under because of this industrial action.

Maybe the  board of BA and especially Wille Walsh are not worried that they will be able to quickly move sideways into another fat-cat post if BA goes under.

The action of taking away the perks that the cabin crews enjoy was vindictive and proves that walsh IS a bully that cares nothing for the work standards of his cabin crews.

I bet that HE will not lose any of HIS perks during this action !

Anyway...here is the record of the votes for this industrial action, which proves that of those balloted there was a VERY high support for a strike. This suggests to me that the cabin crews have a genuine grievance.

The votes: ( reported by the media ).

The ballot was again successful but won less support than in December, when 80 per cent of those balloted voted and, of those, 92.5 per cent said Yes to industrial action.

This time, turnout was down to 78.7 per cent and the Yes vote fell to 80.7 per cent. That was still more than enough for Unite to describe the mandate as “overwhelming” but a reduction nonetheless.

[cheddar-caveman]

More fool them!

[Hugh]

I support Joe Blogs who find BA just to expensive to use. Even their once regular customers are jumping ship to other airlines. The only group of workers who are keen on strike action are at Heathrow and why should this group destroy BA. At the moment they are going to have a job just staying a float and the striker are just to greedy blind to see it.
The strikers are on a hiding to nothing they won't win, and they will have lost quite a lot of wages and perks and could well be on short time for a while until business picks up.

[cheddar-caveman]

We used to be members of the BA Executive club as regular fliers between the ME and UK. However, once Gulf Air and then Emirates and Qatar Airways came into being, hugely undercutting BA fares with superior service, we very quickly switched allegiance. The only major routes keeping BA alive then was the transatlantic one and who should come along but Mr Virgin again undercutting BA and again with better service.

Due to the continual intransigence of their staff, BA have frequently been thwarted in their efforts (as now) to streamline their operation and cut operating costs, which could have made them competitive, and so they now find themselves at the back of the queue when it comes to the passengers pool.

Very sad when you think how good they used to be.