BAA strike

Strapped

blindman wrote: »

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I think the reason people have lost hauled luggage around for 30 years is because they have no other skills other than muscle.
I won't comment on the monica "Thiefrow..";).

Just to point out, that it's not just luggage handlers. This affects all BAA staff including office/management (some of whom even walk upright you know )

real_madrid

Dont expect your insurance company to pay out of there is a strike

phatbear

Just a quick point, and I can only speak from a Stansted point of view BAA dont handle baggage, thats aviance and servisair, who are private companies and have nothing to do with BAA.

When new bods are taken on by BAA it will be in their terms and conditions that they will not be entitled to this that or the other, and if they dont like it they could seek employment elsewhere, or maybe use some of their decent wages, and pay into a private pension scheme.

Maybe BAA could spend some of this saved revenue on retraining some staff too as they dont really seem to have a clue about what they can and cant do, I get sick of the the daily, "are you allowed to carry that question" when I walk through security with a knife and a set of handcuffs, and I also get sick of telling them that they have just assaulted me when they run their hands over my skin, after all what the hell are they looking for?

As far as christmas bonuses go I should be so lucky, yet I will be at the airport trying to stop bad guys/gals on christmas eve and boxing day and new years day, im not rota'd to do xmas day alas, and I would do a little jig if Mr Brown decided to give me a £100 bonus for my hard work.

all the best

the bear

vermont100

phatbear are you a copper or do you just carry the handcuffs for kinky purposes. if your a copper then you wont be getting searched if your not a copper then you deserve a good frisking

Strapped

phatbear wrote: »

Just a quick point, and I can only speak from a Stansted point of view BAA dont handle baggage, thats aviance and servisair, who are private companies and have nothing to do with BAA.

When new bods are taken on by BAA it will be in their terms and conditions that they will not be entitled to this that or the other, and if they dont like it they could seek employment elsewhere, or maybe use some of their decent wages, and pay into a private pension scheme.

Maybe BAA could spend some of this saved revenue on retraining some staff too as they dont really seem to have a clue about what they can and cant do, I get sick of the the daily, "are you allowed to carry that question" when I walk through security with a knife and a set of handcuffs, and I also get sick of telling them that they have just assaulted me when they run their hands over my skin, after all what the hell are they looking for?

As far as christmas bonuses go I should be so lucky, yet I will be at the airport trying to stop bad guys/gals on christmas eve and boxing day and new years day, im not rota'd to do xmas day alas, and I would do a little jig if Mr Brown decided to give me a £100 bonus for my hard work.

all the best

the bear

The wages are not competitive. (Which is why I don't work for them anymore!)

debs66_2

'Strapped', your point about the wages is fair enough, but you voted with your feet and took a job elsewhere to get better wages. that decision didn't affect thousands of people. you understood what you would get, didn't like it and moved on. that's what we all do. i still don't see why the innocent should lose money, holidays, memories, struggle with babies and children in airport lounges for hours - etc etc - for someone else's fight and ultimate benefit.

vermont100

blindman....... a few facts 4u ........ baa pension deficit 1.4% of total pension fund approx 28 million ........ most companies start getting worried at 50%. in other words the pension scheme is in good shape and doesnt need changing. baa have recently had a 7 year pension holiday, that means they contributed zero pounds because the pension was doing so well.
latest offer from company to workers is we wont touch your final salary scheme for 6 years if you dont strike....... the translation of this is, we will change your scheme eventually which is why we are up in arms about it.
finally if new employees dont enter the scheme who will keep the scheme going as people retire.........

vermont100

totally agree with you debs66 got a feeling if strike action is voted for that the government might get involved........ they wont let heathrow and gatwick shut

Strapped

debs66 wrote: »

'Strapped', your point about the wages is fair enough, but you voted with your feet and took a job elsewhere to get better wages. that decision didn't affect thousands of people. you understood what you would get, didn't like it and moved on. that's what we all do. i still don't see why the innocent should lose money, holidays, memories, struggle with babies and children in airport lounges for hours - etc etc - for someone else's fight and ultimate benefit.

But there are people who have worked there so long that they feel unable to move, mainly because of the pension. I agree with the other posters that it's the thin end of the wedge, and the company's ultimate aim is to abolish the final pension scheme altogether.

BTW, I wouldn't count on the government to keep LHR and LGW open - even if they did, it would only require eg security staff to start working to rule for the queues to back up. I don't necessarily agree with it, just pointing out that a strike could happen, and even if there was political intervention, it may not be very effective.

vermont100

strapped........ i agree that a working to rule could cause havoc but i think if as expected its a yes vote 4 strike action then the government will apply pressure. the management know this is probably their worse nightmare with all the bad press they have had recently..... sometimes people need to make a stand and this is a case i point with the pensions.
baa staff have neve made a fuss over pay rises or anything else and this probably why they thought they could push this through with no problems