BA strike over Xmas - who's affected?

MovingIn07 · 18-12-2009, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Sigga:

Is this the start of a new Christmas tradition?

Just the impact of a Labour Government for several years. Nothing changes. "Winter of Discontent" anyone?

shri · 18-12-2009, 12:12 PM

Sigga - buy your gifts from Amazon UK and have them delivered before you arrive in the UK.

Dreadnought · 20-12-2009, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by chimo:

Average total pay for cabin crew (yearly, in GBP):
BA= 29,900
Easyjet= 20,200
BMI= 18,400
Monarch= 17,500
Thomas Cook= 17,400
Jet2.com= 16,300
Vigrin= 14,400

(taken from BBC website)

What is your point?

Just because the others make shitty pay, these folks have no right to stand up for themselves and protect their own wages? As if their income isn't already being eroded by inflation and an ever-decreasing annual figure. How dare they...
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Beanieskis · 20-12-2009, 03:29 PM

I think it's just putting it in perspective. If employees were being paid well under the going market wage than yes you'd feel they had a case. If BA goes bust these cabin crew will never be able to match what they were making.

Boris · 20-12-2009, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by chimo:

Average total pay for cabin crew (yearly, in GBP):
BA= 29,900
Easyjet= 20,200
BMI= 18,400
Monarch= 17,500
Thomas Cook= 17,400
Jet2.com= 16,300
Vigrin= 14,400

(taken from BBC website)

You cannot equate a worldwide service carrier with Budget airlines and holiday tour jet companies - all of which are exclusively shorthaul. Anyone seeing the fighting going on between Cathay and its staff should understand that a lot of things can be included in a calc of " average total pay " that would bulk up a major longhaul carrier against a " home most nights " shorthaul carrier

I take it Vigrin = Virgin which has some long haul routes but is by far still a baby airline compared to BA. It has the ability to attract staff with a lower wage but do have a very good "perks" package as I led to believe by a friend in the airline industry, based on long service.

hullexile · 20-12-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by MovingIn07:

Just the impact of a Labour Government for several years. Nothing changes. "Winter of Discontent" anyone?

Wasn't the 3 day week period under the tories? I am old enough to have been on strike, actually led one, during the winter of discontent

Boris · 20-12-2009, 06:35 PM

Now banished to the colonies.

Dreadnought · 20-12-2009, 07:12 PM

Beanie,

Yes I see your point, but one thing I am positive about is that if BA goes under, it will not be the result of Cabin Crew pay. Can you honestly tell me that you think otherwise? As an aside, do you have any idea how much BA is shelling out in pension to RETIRED Captains? Not saying that THIS is the sole reason, but we're talking about people who are, simply put, no longer involved with BA and its operations. Not saying that the pension should be done away with either, but reduced, if not put under a temporary freeze.

I have not been following this dispute, but simply going by the trend, even if BA's management were to put down a commitment to revert to old contracts with regards to pay/benefits, I do not see them fulfilling that commitment. However, they are not even commiting to it, and that alone should tell you something about what the Cabin Crew is up against.

Why do you suppose this is such a huge deal to them and why else do you suppose they would vote on something so drastic as a strike during the Christmas Holidays? People make it sound like the Cabin Crew are not willing to do their bit for the company. But why should they 'take one for the team' if the management does not lead by example?

During the lower end of the business cycle, along with fares, certain service cut-backs are expected, as we all know. However, as the industry recovers, these services DO make their way back into the product. The same cannot be said for cuts in pay, more so when it comes to front-line staff.

Greedy and apathetic management is where the anger should be directed, not front-line staff who have a tough enough job as safety professionals, who take a lot of crap from the flying public and somehow manage to do so with a smile.
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PDLM · 20-12-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by shakermaker:

As an aside, do you have any idea how much BA is shelling out in pension to RETIRED Captains? Not saying that THIS is the sole reason, but we're talking about people who are, simply put, no longer involved with BA and its operations. Not saying that the pension should be done away with either, but reduced, if not put under a temporary freeze.

Once a company starts reneging on its contracts then it rapidly loses all credibility as a business. Would you want to do business or work for a company that unilaterally decided it was only going to pay you a fraction of what had been agreed?

Dreadnought · 20-12-2009, 08:32 PM

That is all very well, PDLM, but then to expect present employees to take the hit? What kind of sense does that make? Taking it out on the people involved in the operation reeks of incompetence and gross mismanagement.

By the way, sir, you do not need to renege on your contracts, but you can DEFINITELY negotiate and reach an agreement.

The pensions are what is REALLY killing BA. This group of employees, at the time that they were in service, were possibly the most well-compensated employees on this planet. Their remuneration included a retirement package. Therefore, to re-negotiate would not hurt them in the least. You want to know why they will not negotiate with BA. They stood up for the protection of their wages.

If I had that kind of power over my employer, I would be very, very comfortable in my retirement.
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