'Who do you support in the BA strike?' poll discussion

KME91

PhiltheBear wrote: »

So, that's the same training as you'd get for a First Aid at Work certificate? Wow. A waitress with a First Aid Certificate! With the ability to use a fire extinguisher! That's got to be one of the hardest jobs in the world. :rotfl:

A friend of mine was a cabin crew member, she had to go through all sorts of training and refreshers continually. Frankly I think it's pretty rude to belittle someone's job. What do YOU do? maybe we can take a pop at that?

As far as the strike goes, good luck to them. All workers have the right to withdraw their labour in a legally constituted strike action and it seems to me that a lot of people on this board want to erode those rights. that to me is crazy frankly. what next? shall we push for less holiday? that makes just as much sense.

MrShed

KME91 wrote: »

As far as the strike goes, good luck to them. All workers have the right to withdraw their labour in a legally constituted strike action and it seems to me that a lot of people on this board want to erode those rights. that to me is crazy frankly. what next?

We live in the 21st century - quite frankly, yes I want to erode the rights of workers to strike. I always thought blackmail was illegal - but apparently only when it isnt legal!!!

relaxtwotribes

KME91 wrote: »

As far as the strike goes, good luck to them. All workers have the right to withdraw their labour in a legally constituted strike action

You're right, but the difference lies in the financial plight of BA. Like ITV and the Post Office their world has changed and restructuring to regain profitability is always going to be painful - but essential to survival.

In my business I am fortunate enough to be able to afford to give generous pay rises and bonuses. That keeps the staff happy and I am pleased for them. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if my profits turned into losses, then I would simply have to take action and that would involve a cost to the staff.
Simple economics.

lyndyloo7

I do not support anyone that strikes. If you don't like your job then leave...oh but maybe you would miss all the perks you get with BA. What about the 4 or 5 days you get to live it up in the Caribbean or in the Indian Ocean at BA's expense!! Sorry, I forgot...you have to work whilst flying there and back...it's not a rocket science job now it? AND to be able to take your offspring (whatever their ages!)along for the ride too!! All the £10 flights you get for yourself and your offspring too...I would love to fly to South Africa for a tenner!! If all the cheap flights for them and their families was added together it would certainly make their annual pay thousands more! There are many other people out there wanting and needing jobs. These strikers at BA are doing nothing to help themselves or the image of BA. We are all living in hard times and have all had to make cuts. So why not BA...many companies are having to cut costs, overtime and staff to make a profit and a successful business. What is wrong with people today! Good on BA if they cut all the perks and cheap flights for the strikers...it serves them right!

epg200

Astro1 wrote: »

Dear happyrichard,
I am BA crew and I love my job. I make around £22000 per year including basic pay (£13000)allowances, overtime and commission (fluctuates up or down), this means I come home with about £1425 per month, living in London and I have been with BA for just over 4 years. Being a competative job to get into, I spent years studying firstly for a diploma in International Hotel Management and then a degree in Business (hospitality and tourism), as well as improving my skills through various jobs in 5 star hotels before applying to BA. My question is, don't you think a company that prides itself on excellence should offer a decent salary package to attract the best applicants? Secondly, you state we dont understand what is required to ensure businesses remain competative in the current economic climate..... Let me assure you we are well aware of the sacrifices we all have to make, we even offered to take a pay cut amongst other things. Your message implies that airlines can only remain competative by slashing employee costs? Airlines can also gain competative advantage by differentiating themselves through excellent customer service by employing the best and most qualified people for the job, not bringing in cheap labour with a high turnover.

The only airlines doing well is the mo are the budget ones... most people see travel as more of a commodity and so go for price above everything else. If BA slacked on costs and concentrated on a premium service like you are implying they should they would def go bust and u would not have a job.

If you think your experience is worth more then go prove it by getting a higher paid job... otherwise be happy to have one and stop moaning. i'm living in london on less then u but i'm appreciative of wot i get, and a lot of people are in that scenario!!!

eva16006159

williham wrote: »

Striking is like when kids have a tantrum to get their own way.

Idiot, if you going to take part in a serious discusion then at least research what you are talking about and not make stupid comments. I bet you also support the BNP.

The BA staff have every right to strike as they currently earn on a par with staff working for their main rivals and new recruits will be much worse off if the proposed cuts go through.

The cuts will also put many people out of work and I think showing solidarity against this by offering to take paycuts and change to part time working patterns as offered is an admirarable compromise that BA rejected.

It is sad that so many people have voted against the strike in this pole for selfish reasons rather than considering all the facts.

Why people feel that workers rights to strike should be taken away is bafferling, if it happened in your industry I doubt you would feel the same.

relaxtwotribes

jamesevans25 wrote: »

Idiot, if you going to take part in a serious discusion

If you are going to take part in a serious discussion, then start by leaving out the name calling.

The poll asked if readers supported the strike or not; it did not ask if people thought the right to strike should be taken away. So, your bafflement arises from your not having read the question correctly. Now who is the idiot? Sorry, couldn't resist.

MarySmith_2

Now...lets have a little think about this shall we?

The vitriole and hatred which has been directed at the decent men and women who work as British Airways Cabin Crew is quite honestly, disgusting and shameful.

One thing is driving the strength of feeling from the general public who have been cleverly brainwashed and manipulated by a bigoted press.....politics!!! The individuals have been forgotten.

I dont expect the railwaymen, or gasmen or Civil Servants and possibly the teachers who may all be imminently striking.......will be portrayed in the same way and their salaries are FAR higher in many cases than those of the majority of BA Cabin Crew.

This is not a dispute about our salaries, they have been dragged into it for the dramatic effect of making people jealous and bitter. Its not true.... we DO NOT earn the salaries quoted in the press and our salaries ARE in line with Virgin, you just dont hear about their allowances which are added on the top!!!

Yes, its a great job (well it was!), yes we go to lovely places and stay in fabulous hotels....we also work very hard, are very well trained and were justifiably proud of our Company and Colleagues! It is simply not fair that we are being villified in this way.

I cant speak for everyone but I used to wear my uniform with pride. Now I hang my head.

Whatever your feelings about Unite or the Labour party, I emplore you to think about the decent hard working men and women caught up in this awful situation and imagine if it were you.

MrShed

MarySmith wrote: »

Now...lets have a little think about this shall we?

The vitriole and hatred which has been directed at the decent men and women who work as British Airways Cabin Crew is quite honestly, disgusting and shameful.

One thing is driving the strength of feeling from the general public who have been cleverly brainwashed and manipulated by a bigoted press.....politics!!! The individuals have been forgotten.

I dont expect the railwaymen, or gasmen or Civil Servants and possibly the teachers who may all be imminently striking.......will be portrayed in the same way and their salaries are FAR higher in many cases than those of the majority of BA Cabin Crew.

This is not a dispute about our salaries, they have been dragged into it for the dramatic effect of making people jealous and bitter. Its not true.... we DO NOT earn the salaries quoted in the press and our salaries ARE in line with Virgin, you just dont hear about their allowances which are added on the top!!!

Yes, its a great job (well it was!), yes we go to lovely places and stay in fabulous hotels....we also work very hard, are very well trained and were justifiably proud of our Company and Colleagues! It is simply not fair that we are being villified in this way.

I cant speak for everyone but I used to wear my uniform with pride. Now I hang my head.

Whatever your feelings about Unite or the Labour party, I emplore you to think about the decent hard working men and women caught up in this awful situation and imagine if it were you.

Interesting that not once here do you mention what the dispute is ACTUALLY about...!

eva16006159

relaxtwotribes wrote: »

If you are going to take part in a serious discussion, then start by leaving out the name calling.

The poll asked if readers supported the strike or not; it did not ask if people thought the right to strike should be taken away. So, your bafflement arises from your not having read the question correctly. Now who is the idiot? Sorry, couldn't resist.

Actually if you read the thread you will see that plenty of people have said they are against striking, including the person who I have quoted in my orginal post. Pointing out idiocy is not name calling either, it is genuine vocabularly so prehaps you should think before using your keyboard.