MSE News: British Airways cabin crew to strike this month

myflyguy

You see this is the problem when people outside the dispute are allowed to comment. You know nothing about what is really going on.
The main concern is about working with less crew, but there is a lot of other issues behind all of this and striking is the only way we can have a voice as we are all shot down for speaking out.

Here is my situation, im 27, ive been with BA 2 years. our company is devided into 2 sections at my base of Heathrow. Eurofleet, which is short haul and Worldwide, the long haul crews.

This dispute has been brought on by poor management, BA has the highest number of back office staff per aircraft than any other UK airline. Our CEO also earns 200k a year more than any other CEO of uk airlines.
If im being forced onto "market rate" pay, then why isnt he?
If you worked for a small company in your field, then you went to a industry leader in your field you'd expect your wage to be slightly higher would you?
BA pilots are paid a lot more than easyjet, ryanair and other airlines too, so why should crew be any different?

Here is a bit of a timeline from our current CEO since he joined BA

Timeline

Summer 2005 Ground staff walk out in support of catering staff
.
Summer 2006 British Airways was announced by the Association of European Airlines as having lost the most luggage in 2006 compared to other major European airlines. For every 1000 passengers carried, it lost 23 bags, 46% more than the average.

Summer 2007 Fuel surcharge - airline fined record £270 million.

March 2008 T5 Chaos - opening of £4.3 billion Heathrow terminal descends into chaos. It is stated that the company has, so far, lost £16 million because of this. In an interview, Mr Walsh vowed to stay on at the airline.

May 2008 Record financial results. BA made an operating profit of £875 Million and achieved the long-held goal of a 10% operating margin. Walsh did not publicly take his bonus that would have been due to him as he was taking accountability for the Terminal 5 problems. He did however accept over £1m in additional payments before the end of 2008.

June 2009 Asks staff to work for nothing

July 2009 Worked for nothing.

December 2009 BA staff vote in favour of a 12 day strike during the busy
Christmas period.

March 2010: British Airways cabin crew will go ahead with strike action after talks between the airline and the Unite union collapsed.
The three-day walkout begins at midnight 19th March, with a further four days of action set to commence on 27th March.

Its all down to poor management, this could have been nipped in the bud 18 months ago! but no... this isnt about pay anymore, its about willie trying to break unions so he can throw his weight around WITHOUT anyone challenging him. He wants a premium airline in ryanair money... its not going to work, look at the disaster he left behind at Aer Lingus.

Im sorry to those that have booked holidays and have had their plans , i wouldnt blame you if the shoe was on the other foot, i take my hat off to anyone who stands up and fights for what they have, why should we be any different? why should we be stopped fighting for our rights? just like the tube drivers and postal workers.

Thats all im saying on the matter, im on strike today, ill be on the picket line tomorrow and i dont care what any of you have to say, im fighting for MY JOB! MY PAY!

jdturk

So do you not think that as the company lost money and is losing money that things have to change including restructuring, pay cuts etc?

dmg24

myflyguy wrote: »

You see this is the problem when people outside the dispute are allowed to comment. You know nothing about what is really going on.

To be fair, and with no disrespect, many of us with a business background would understand the bigger picture more than the average cabin crew worker.

dmg24

jdturk wrote: »

So do you not think that as the company lost money and is losing money that things have to change including restructuring, pay cuts etc?

I think the OP sums up his feelings on the matter in the following extract.

myflyguy wrote: »

MY JOB! MY PAY!

Aidenr

As Cabin Crew for a different long haul airline I completly agree with Mrflyguy !
This is no different to any other industry that provides a service - post / rail workers / london tube etc. It is an absolute shame that the general public have been affected by this dispute, but as a workforce they need to stand up for there rights !
I have just landed in one of BA's destinations of which they did not operate today and we had a few BA passengers that transfered over.
Myself and the crew in my cabin were all standing up for the crews at BA as we understand what they are going through.
Yes I agree with comments regarding seeing the bigger picture, but in the same breath, why should crew have major changes to there working conditions and potential income without having a say.
I will echo what has been said
THEIR JOB, THEIR PAY !!!

dmg24

Aidenr wrote: »

I have just landed in one of BA's destinations of which they did not operate today and we had a few BA passengers that transfered over.

Would it not be more professional to not pass comment?

Aidenr wrote: »

THERE JOB, THERE PAY !!!

I think you mean Their Job, Their Pay?

Aidenr

[QUOTE=dmg24;31044983



I think you mean Their Job, Their Pay?[/QUOTE]

Ha ha - knew that was coming....

Mr_Lahey

My question for those on strike remains unanswered:

If you are unhappy with your current employer, rather than effect millions of innocent people, why not seek employment elsewhere?

spurs_nut

Just to clear up why some CC are striking.....

These are called the "serious perks of the job" they a fighting to save.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7488942/Late-night-revelry-of-the-BA-cabin-crews.html

telegraph wrote: »

The local South African sauvignon is renowned for its fine and flinty quality, and flowing copiously. There are two swimming pools to choose from, multiple sun decks and seven acres of manicured lawns should one opt for a midnight stroll.
And long after the chic St Andrews golf-themed bar officially closes at 2am to guests holidaying in the luxurious, ranch-style Lord Charles hotel, overlooking sunny Somerset West near Cape Town, our party of work colleagues are assured of nightlong attentive service, ensuring their flamboyant, poolside frolics remain undisturbed.


These, however, are not merely a band of well-heeled British tourists, as one might assume.
They are, instead, a group of British Airways cabin crew enjoying their 48-hour stop over in the four-star South African hotel.
As they partied into the night last week, savouring what they called the "serious perks of our job", British Airways was making last-ditch attempts to mollify Unite, the cabin crews' union, and stave off a strike.
And as our merry band staggered off to bed after a "tired and emotional" day, their union brothers and sisters back home in Britain were rejecting BA's latest offer and planning the picket lines.
Cabin crew are, of course, entitled to and need rest and recuperation after working a busy long-haul flight like the 10-hour trip from London to Cape Town. No-one would suggest otherwise.
Indeed, passengers rely upon these highly-qualified professionals for their safety and, increasingly, their security from the threat of terrorist attacks. It is in all our interests that cabin crew are allowed adequate rest time between flights.
But as thousands of flights were cancelled at Heathrow airport yesterday, leaving the airline in chaos and travellers in despair, doubtless many of those whose plans were disrupted or ruined by BA's striking staff will be infuriated at such flagrant displays of just exactly what it is the Unite trade union is protecting.
Hundreds of BA workers are put up each week in the Lord Charles, where they are renowned for their hard drinking and wild antics.
"Cape Town is a good route to be allocated because you get a decent stopover," one explained to an undercover reporter as he poured yet another bottle of wine.
"Sometimes we go wine tasting or to the beach. The allowances are good for South Africa, but we also do pretty well in places like Singapore and the US stop overs.
"Obviously the hotel is paid for and we get an allowance on top for food and drink. Where else do you get paid to do this?"
Before long the crew were joined by what they laughingly called "cling ons" – their relatives and friends who accompany them, paying a fraction of the flight's cost.
"It's nice for them because they pay hardly anything, sometimes 10 per cent of the usual price, and they get to see what we get up to."
The night before had been "carnage", he confided. "Some of the women collapsed on the stairs. Because you never know who you'll be working with, every trip is different and it feels like a holiday sometimes.
"There are 13,000 crew so you never know who you will encounter and that makes stopovers a scream."
The cabin crew insisted they acted responsibly while on duty.
"Obviously then we work to high standards and are very sensible. But we're lucky we have time over here to let our hair down." Long-haul crews in particular, said another, had a reputation for late-night revelry.
"Tonight is calm because we are working tomorrow, and the pilots, especially, are very careful not to have alcohol in their blood when they fly. But yesterday was wild. I don't know what time I went to bed.
"Sometimes people go on wine-tasting trips but most of us are too hung over to move. We just lie by the pool.
"Tonight we went out for dinner and now we're getting stuck in again. It's not just Cape Town where this happens, it's usually the same scene everywhere."
As the conversation turned to the strike, it was clear the crew were proud to belong to BA.
Employed by the national carrier, they consider themselves to be the elite of the industry. Several admitted sidestepping a decision by ensuring they were not on rota to work during the strike.
Others said they supported the industrial action but did fear for BA's future. "BA is trying to take away our perks," one woman in her forties moaned.
"This is our life. We work hard but we also get to play hard and now they want to take that away from us. This new management don't care about us.
"This strike is as much about what their future proposals, although no one can say so. They want to remove all our privileges.
"Nobody really wants to strike but many of us are reluctantly supporting the union because we worry what will happen if we don't. We know it will make the public angry but we've been backed into a corner."
As the attentive waiters replenished the bottle, some became extremely indiscreet.
"Willie Walsh is a ....," the woman shouted. "He destroys airlines. He drove Aer Lingus into the ground and now it seems he is going to do the same to us."
By dawn, after most had drifted off to bed, some in pairs, the diehard drinkers contemplated rounding off the evening in the jacuzzi.
At breakfast next day which, at the elite Lord Charles lavish buffet, includes complimentary champagne, few of the cabin crew had appeared.
"The BA crews always make themselves heard," one staff member said. "After dinner they get stuck into the wine and beers. And usually it goes on very, very late. Long after the bar has officially closed." l

Inactive

Torygraph tosh, couldn't you find anything in the Mail.:(