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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about the forthcoming BA strike?

903 replies

iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 15/03/2010 16:21

DS (11)is supposed to be going on a much anticipated school trip next week, but both outward and return dates are strike days.
I can't begin to tell you how much he has been looking forward to this trip.

DD3 (13 )is also away, at the same time, on a choir trip, but flying with another operator.

Excited at the prospect of 2 children away,and happy to leave DD2 ( 18) home alone, DH and I have booked a much needed break ourselves, first time away without the children in 5 years.

Now everything is 'up in the air', no pun intended .

Can somebeody please explain why cabin crew are so aggreived? I've had a look at BBC's overview of the reasons behind the strike, but don't really get it.I also work for an organisation ( local authority actually) that has announced a 2 year pay freeze, recruitment freeze and forthcoming redundancies. Apart from free tea bags and instant coffee I get no other priveliges.

IABU to think they've got nothing to strike over?

OP posts:
Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 18:00

iwastooearly- I don't see why wages should determine what I do in my job? If a window fitter earns the same as me does that mean that I should be fitting windows too? So, no, I don't wipe my passengers' bottoms because adult social workers do that.
Mu job entails:

  • being prepared for any emergency that might arise, from a fire to an emergency landing to finding explosives on board etc.
  • being fully trained medically. I've treated people with asthma attacks, miscarriage, epilept fit, diahorrea and vomiting, and lots more.
  • providing passengers with food, drinks and help them with anything they may want to know/need.
  • help the elderly with their bags or parents with their babies (for example by holding baby whilst mum uses the toilet)
  • look after unaccompanied minors. Chat with them offer them their choice of food, make sure that they're not sitting next to a man, make sure tht no adult tried to get too close tot hem when they're going to the toilets, for example.
  • Cook and serve food in first class!
  • give the best possible experience to passengers.
  • help any pax who doesn't speak english.
  • Buy drinks to take off the flight, so I can have a drink with my colleagues and talk about the meaning of life.

They don't do all this on a no-frills airline.

Silver1 · 15/03/2010 18:07

But why should Gatwick work to these T&Cs and UNITE do nothing but try it at Heathrow and UNITE try and bring down the airline, wreck peoples holidays and erode your T&Cs in so many other ways?

I am afraid I don't support the strike.
Workers rights have come a long way in 100 years it is true, but not all of it is down to unions and in this economy there needs to be some grinning and bearing.

Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 18:13

Gatwicke crew are free to accept different T&C, doesn't mean we have to. Besides, many of them will be joining our strike. Like I said, there's more on the way rather than just the removal of a crew member (which is what Gatwick crew have accepted).

Original poster
iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 15/03/2010 18:17

Hi Onestone

But surely you are being paid enough as this doesn't sound any more taxing than other people in service industries.

I live within the Heathrow area and have met many , many people over the years that have flown free , on stand by, allover the world thanks to BA.So do you also receive payment 'in kind' for your family with this perk?

I appreciatete the safety and first aid aspect but don't no frills take care of this aspect too?

I still don't understand what makes BA a special case?

OP posts:
Silver1 · 15/03/2010 18:20

I have to say that is the best answer I have heard so far, and I mean that genuinely.

You have a lot to lose though, even if you "win" the strike. If you win and lose all staff perks then that will be a huge loss. If you stay out long enough then thousands of people not just you will lose their jobs, and with all due respect who wants to employ someone who brought down an airline?

Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 18:32

Must go now, will come back later.

Original poster
iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 15/03/2010 18:35

me too (school stuff)

OP posts:
clam · 15/03/2010 18:53

"make sure that they're not sitting next to a man"
Really? Are all men paedophiles now, then?

JemL · 15/03/2010 19:10

Onestonetogo

"make sure that they're not sitting next to a man"
Is that an official policy?!?!

Discussing how much you get paid for what you do is a bit of a red herring, as that isn't the point of the strike, is it? You took the job knowing what the salary is, so telling everyone how much you normally take home is irrelevant. Lots of people do a huge amount of work for not much money; BA is not a special case in that respect.

alypaly · 15/03/2010 19:14

can anyone please tell me if it will affect any manchester flights that arent BA...getting a bit nervous.

Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 19:38

As a policy yes, we make sure that unaccompanied minors are sitting either on their own or next to a woman, not next to a man.It's an oficial policy. This doesn't mean that all men are paedophiles, but it's a precautionary measure. If my DC were flying alone, I would much rather they were not sitting next to a man. The crew also monitor these children when they go to the toilets, to make sure that no stranger tries to accompany them. I think it's a sensible thing.
As for the wages we get paid; indeed, I took this job for this money (although was promised the prospect of promotion, which never materialised), hence we're very pissed off at having our wages considerably reduced to the point that most of us will now have to change job, after having invested so many years in it.

The difference between BA crew and low cost airline crew- well. We have a lot more experience both medically and in terms of customer service, we know our wines, cheeses,and cocktails (try asking a Ryanair crew member to make a Kyr Royale), we lay your table like they do at the Dorchester Hotel (in First class), we cook and serve First class food, we take care of all our passengers' needs (something that Easy jet and Ryanair crew don't do, and rightly so)... plus of course we operate long haul flights and the service on board those flights is totally diferent from what you get on Ryanair or Easyjet. We have an entertainment system that low cost carriers don't have.. oh I could go on. But really, low-cost airline cabin crew are good at delivering the basics, we do much more than that. Our wages should reflect that.

Alipaly, nope, your flight on non BA carrier will not be affected.

Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 19:42

Oh and we don't charge you for food or drinks on our flights, the bar is open

lovechoc · 15/03/2010 19:46

you don't get the concept of strike action OP....DH is going to be at the picket line, he works for another major company in the UK (dates yet to be announced) and there is also real aggrievance over pay terms and conditions, including pensions etc.

BA striking is just going to be one of many in the near future IMHO...watch this space...

MABS · 15/03/2010 19:53

but your BA travel concessions are rather better than a budget airline cabin crew member aren't they?! worth rather a lot.

Big loss for life i would think when you go on strike?

JemL · 15/03/2010 19:53

God, no wonder men don't want to become teachers, especially primary school teachers, work in childcare, lead Scout groups or get involved in community activities when they are viewed with such distrust they cannot be allowed to sit next to a child in a public place, in view of over 100 people. How depressing.

lovechoc · 15/03/2010 19:57

onestonetogo you are basically going on strike for similar reasons to DH (except he works for another company) - all legit reasons to be striking IMHO. you shouldn't stand for management taking the p*ss all the time, you are all wise to put your foot down. This is the stance DH and all his colleagues over the country are going to be taking - it's an astounding YES vote - huge majority voted for strike action. Dates will probably be announced over the next couple of weeks. These are sad times. Management want more work out of you, but you are getting paid alot less (esp if you were on a pretty good roster premium!!).

EggyAllenPoe · 15/03/2010 19:58

wow, although i credit DP the little love-in for her up-thread.

I think - if my employer sked me to take on a higher workload, which would mean i simply wouldn't be able to make my targets, and would return to runing one-step ahead of a client complaint...because it was facing economic trouble - would i go on strike? Or would i just accept it was financial necessity?

I would do the latter everytime...in fact i may have to.

Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 20:00

MABS, our travel concessions are the worst in the airline industry (compared to other big airlines, I don't know what the low-cost airline crew get). For example, a return flight to Rome will cost around £78, on stand-by. Which means we check in, go to the gate, and then might not get on the flight if it's full. So we have to keep trying until a seat becomes available. A return flight to New York is around £180. Cheap, but not free.
BA have threatened us with the permanent removal of staf travel concessions, which is rather petty, since staff travel generates them considerable revenue!

JemL, tecahers get screened for criminal offences. Passengers don't. Airplanes are public places, anyone could be sitting on that seat next to a child.

lovechoc · 15/03/2010 20:03

alot of posters on this thread don't quite get what strike action is all about - it's about saving your bacon in the long term. who on earth wants to just sit back and take these crappy pay conditions??

Onestonetogo · 15/03/2010 20:04

lovechoc, where does your DH work?
I don't see why so many people get inflamed when other people go on strike. There are always very good reasons for a strike, the public should support workers.
Once workers' rights are eroded, it'll be near impossible to reinstate them.

MrsC2010 · 15/03/2010 20:05

OP YANBU

JemL · 15/03/2010 20:08

By that rationale, unaccompanied minors should not be sitting next to anyone, as presumably the women the are seated with are not CRB checked either?!

lovechoc · 15/03/2010 20:09

onestonetogo I support your reasoning for strike action BUT that's only because I know what DH and his colleagues have been offered from their company and so I know what management are trying to do, manipulating the situation to suit their own ends - f**k the men that go out and do all the frontline work
I don't want to name the company just now but it will be in the media soon enough I imagine. His job is listed in the top three most dangerous jobs in the UK. So I think these guys are well justified to be aggrieved at management's latest offerings...

Good luck with the strike - I hope it doesn't run on for too long and you get the pay conditions you are after through your union. They will do their best for you

MABS · 15/03/2010 20:10

I know exactly how BA concessions work, I have had them for 25 years, as have many friends of ours. They are extremely good and we have travelled worldwide on them,as have many of our friends who are crew as it happens, though I am not and nor is dh

I was with 3 friends of mine who are crew today (CSDs), all 3 said they will not be striking after all as they do not want to lose the concessions and they believe they will.

lovechoc · 15/03/2010 20:13

"I don't see why so many people get inflamed when other people go on strike"

that's easy - strike action does not happen very often here, so it makes people anxious. they don't understand the concept of strike action.

I think inconvenience is what bothers most people though. Sometimes a little inconvenience benefits the majority in the long term. Unions are there for a reason.