The BA Strike

[RobertT]

I'm left leaning, if that is possible, but the BA strike is a joke.  Their basic is around top end, not hugely over the norm, but the perks are what make BAstand out.  The changes, though harsh, are not illegal, and as I understand it impact on non contractual terms - so BA has the option to remove them when the shit hits the fan as it clearly has.

It makes it worse when you consider the Union involved.  Unite is a contradiction in terms, a combination of two Unions who do not get on one iota -the two leaders (how can you have two?) don't even talk to each other.  They are generally the most politically motivated and internal fights spill into their actions.

Lumps, you may think it it hearsay but I personally know of someone who was seriously considering striking only because he was afraid of the actions of active members of the union.  I've seen and read reports of several strikes in recent years and I don't remember this previously being reported as widely as it has this time around. It may be unfounded, fear tactics, but people inside the organisation at the same level are in perceiving that and being provided with just enough aggresiveness to come to that conclusion.

I think this seriously runs thr risk of terminally damaging BA, which I actually think will be a good thing in the long run. They smack of an airline in the same mould as the traditional US transatlantic carriers, stuck in a time warp and unable to react to a changing market.  The fact that it has boiled over to where it is now just shows two things - the company and senior management is shit, the staff are so resistent to change they will gradually strangle the company to death.

The only Virgin company to have industrial action problems is the rail company, which is a legacy company from BR.  BA has amazing retention rates, yet has staff this angry - the two don't fit.  It's too cosy a number so even the unhappy people don't leave -that allows people to fester and angst grows and the company gets stuck in rut.

[Barry Scott]

Lumps, you may think it it hearsay but I personally know of someone who was seriously considering striking only because he was afraid of the actions of active members of the union.  I've seen and read reports of several strikes in recent years and I don't remember this previously being reported as widely as it has this time around. It may be unfounded, fear tactics, but people inside the organisation at the same level are in perceiving that and being provided with just enough aggresiveness to come to that conclusion.

No it's true, i ind of alluded to it in earlier post. It's the only reason why my Dad's wife is striking and most of her friends. Simply fear. My Dad's wife wants to work, hates the Union and has no desire to strike, but crossing the picket makes your working life a living hell and you may as well forget driving to work because it will get your car vandalised.

She is properly, properly upset by the whole debacle.

[Talk Talk]

Which is what I was alluding to in my earlier post, the one that Lumpy Rumpy shat his pants over. No, I know it isn't a closed shop, but there must be a hell of a lot of pressure to conform as you say Barry.

UNITE is still an outdated dinosaur that deserves to be fucked off.

[Doore]

For the first time in my working life I have started to think about joined a union, albeit Unison not Unite.  The reason being is that I moved to a job, including moving house 200 miles, and found out two weeks later that a restructure was planned.  Six months in to the job and I am officially "at risk".  As this restructure would have been planned months before it was announced, it seems to me that it was quite irresponsible to recruit to posts that would clearly be under review.

On another note, BA staff should count themselves lucky if they survive with jobs.  I know I will - I've already taken a pay cut in my first six months.

[Colin Todd]

I know most of what you write when it comes to politics is ill-informed bollocks but this one really pushes the fucking boat out.

Staff have no choice but to join Unite? What you're suggesting is a closed shop TT, which is BOLLOCKS! You've suggested that such things exist in the UK in a couple of threads now and I don't have fucking clue where you get the idea from.

And they're on strike because the Union decided they should be, strange because I thought that in a secret ballot with an 80% turnout there was an over 80% vote in favour of strike action.

Of course I could be wrong because I get all my news from sources that are inherently compromised like the BBC and the Daily Telegraph, rather than the "anarcho-capitalist" nut-job conspiracy theorist bloggers you prefer.

i generally don't agree with Lumps because A.  he talks a load of lefty bollocks or   B.  I simply dont know what he's on about but this made me laugh because its true. Both of your political opinions are total shit because they are so extreme they have no place in the real world

[Talk Talk]

Both of your political opinions are total shit because they are so extreme they have no place in the real world

So you think that the current state of politics is not total shit then? 

The difference between my sort of shit and Bumpy Lumpy's is that his has been tried and has failed every time, all over the world, whereas the time will come in the not too distant future to try mine out.

[Colin Todd]

So you think that the current state of politics is not total shit then? 

No, I think the current situation is total shit.

Trouble is I think your solution actually sounds worse.

Communism / hard line socialism is a failed idea. fair enough. But rampant free marketism in every walk of live doesn't exactly fill me with confidence given how left to its own devices the free market has a tendancy to get things very wrong, normally due to greed.

[Talk Talk]

No, I think the current situation is total shit.

Trouble is I think your solution actually sounds worse.

Bear with me caller... 

[Colin Todd]

I can feel links to "anarcho-capitalist" nut-job conspiracy theorist blogs coming on

[Bob's Orange]

They gave me 10,000 air miles at the start of the year as my flights home weren't in any way affected by the Xmas 'strike'. I like BA, without them I would have to drive an hour and a half to a metal shed in Germany to fly to Stanstead with Ryanair arriving at midnight to get to Swindon matches.