BA ask 40,000 staff to work for nothing.

ad9898_3

[STRIKE]More green shoots[/STRIKE], oh sorry, just had my assimilated media/government spin head on for a second. Anyway how much longer can the spin/talk machine stay ahead of the facts. Surely if everything was 'getting back to normal' there would be no need for one of the UK's biggest employers to ask people to work for nothing in order to survive ?, have some sympathy for anyone who doesn't work in the public sector......... for now anyway.

British Airways boss Willie Walsh is asking his 40,000 staff to work for nothing to save the airline.
The astonishing plea comes as BA faces what Mr Walsh says is a 'fight for survival'.
The company has written directly to its 40,000 employees asking them to volunteer for up to four weeks of unpaid work.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1193242/Struggling-BA-asks-40-000-staff-work-desperate-fight-survival.html

Generali

ad9898 wrote: »

[STRIKE]More green shoots[/STRIKE], oh sorry, just had my assimilated media/government spin head on for a second. Anyway how much longer can the spin/talk machine stay ahead of the facts. Surely if everything was 'getting back to normal' there would be no need for one of the UK's biggest employers to ask people to work for nothing in order to survive ?, have some sympathy for anyone who doesn't work in the public sector......... for now anyway.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1193242/Struggling-BA-asks-40-000-staff-work-desperate-fight-survival.html

The trouble is that with airlines, like cars, there is too much supply and Governments are happy to subsidise output making the problem worse.

Again in common with cars, everyone seems to think their country needs to have a national airline (as well as a national car brand). I have no idea why but it makes for a huge amount of waste as Governments prop up their airlines (and car firms) in various desperate ways at the expense of taxpayers and consumers.

I feel sorry for the poor airline staff having to go without or lose their jobs (that sounds like the choice to me) but it doesn't surprise me really.

Wookster

BA are in a real pickle.

They'll probably end up as one of those companies that exists solely for the benefit of their pension holders.

Tozer

Can't see the BA workers threats of strike action doing anything other than risking a previously unthought of insolvency of Britain's national airline.

Broken_hearted

He should have asked them to do two months at half pay. Maybe that will be the next offer.

molerat

This just goes to prove that senior management do not live in the real world. Yes the big man is going to work for nothing but if it all goes well (and probably even if it doesn't) what will he get at the end of the year ? The menial levels that are struggling to pay mortgage, rent, loans etc will be hit where it hurts but to the directors this will be a minor inconvenience. If it all goes belly up the big bosses will just move on.

Generali

BA are a pretty good firm as airlines go, financially speaking. They don't get anything like the protection and subsidies (hidden or otherwise) that a large proportion of their competitors get yet they struggle on.

That's not much use to the trolly dolly, tea lady or tax accountant that gets asked to forego her pay for a month of course.

Generali

molerat wrote: »

This just goes to prove that senior management do not live in the real world. Yes the big man is going to work for nothing but if it all goes well (and probably even if it doesn't) what will he get at the end of the year ? The menial levels that are struggling to pay mortgage, rent, loans etc which be hit where it hurts but to the directors this will be a minor inconvenience.

Well what are the 'menial' staff going to do - now's a bad time to be looking for a job (believe me!) and a pay cut is better than nil pay.

PS To Broken hearted - If you read the article in the OP I think it says that the amount of pay foregone can be spread over "3-6 months wherever possible" (whatever that means).

bc3000

I'm sure lots of happy employees would do a day or two unpaid to keep the company they work for going, but to ask for up to 4 weeks is ridiculous.. I guess they'll start cutting salaries soon?

Broken_hearted

Yep in the current climate I'm sure if they choose not to do it BA would have no problem filling the jobs with people who would.

Generali

bc3000 wrote: »

I'm sure lots of happy employees would do a day or two unpaid to keep the company they work for going, but to ask for up to 4 weeks is ridiculous.. I guess they'll start cutting salaries soon?

It says in the article I think that they're also asking staff to take 10% wage cuts. I'm not sure if that's as well as working for free for a month.