about the forthcoming BA strike?

[iwastooearlytobeayummymummy]

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?

I am puzzled as to why it's stressful for me at home

Ah just read your post Maddyjensen
Let's see if this helps
DH gave up annual leave to volunteer during the strike period.
Owing to the whole UNITE BASSA situation I fully support that.
Not stressful for us. Thanks for caring though.

The remark I made was not intended for the bag incident it was meant for taking care of the babies and children... ie heating up milk/food etc.....and before you shoot me down I said "some crew", and that is only because I have seen it in action.......and I do realise that you don't have to have kids to be able to help mums/dads/pregnant women........what I am trying to say is that those with children are usually more knowledgable in dealing with families on board.....especially when it comes to children vomitting,....etc...

I did not make the remark to offend anyone... so again I apologise if I have........

ok Maddy I have seen your last post - stating that you did not intend the comment to be patronising.

I really do apologise for my postings having added to your stress at this difficult time for you.

I have been thinking a great deal lately about how difficult it is for those who are unemployed. I can't imagine it is going to much fun for those trying to get to work or job interviews when the rail strikes get underway either...

Jellyheadjulia, thanks for the very god post. In my experience Bassa have always been on my side, and helped me deal with some unfairness on the part of BA. They have also always been pretty spot-on every time they "predicted" something that's in the pipeline, which BA denied, only to then prove the Unions right.

But the general consensus among the public is "the unions have their own agenda", a cliche' which makes my blood boil as anyone who says this couldn't really say what it meant, nor could they prove it to be the case. Bassa is made of cabin crew like me, who time and time again have looked after my interests and helped me out- not BA.

Jelly, see you at Bedfont Sat, pity that idiot that runs our company doesn't want to go back to the negotiating table.

Maddyjensen, I do the same too; most cc help a great deal with mums, dads and babies, more than BA would allow us to!

Thanks Pinkfizzle... appreciated... I am not posting on here to wind anyone up, and I did not mean to be patronising....its very much like txting....the message is never read the same way as it would be in a face to face conversation.

I love my job, I sincerely hope that this matter is resolved, as it is extremely stressful, I have had and still am having sleepless nights, my kids are feeling the tension at home. Silver1...you said I should take a step back...... I wish I could and counsell myself....but hey...it does not work like that..

ofcourse the unions have their own agenda - as witnessed by the flurry of strike activity before a general election...

Onestonetogo agreeing with the wife of a pilot ---- get out of here I don't believe it

bigfatboss, contrary to what you and the Pilos'Wives on this thread believe, I've never had any problems with pilot's wives/husbands; as you can see if you read this thread from the start, I've come here answering questions about my job, my pay, the reasons behind the strike, and got a lot of antagonism and bitchiness, which I dealt with graciously, until it came to the subject of pilots not giving any moral support to us in our hour of need. You can't gloss over the fact that most pilots haven't been supportive at all of the strike, and I resent that, which is my prerogative to do .

Maddyjense, you're not the only one, thousands of cc are going through the same as you, it's not a nice place to be.
Please don't feel you have to apologise/clarify anything that you say;there's no need as far as I'm concerned, you explain yourself very well, but some posters will try and twist it.

.. but you do so have a problem with pilots, and their wives, go on read your posts through, and you will see what I mean.

Onestonetogo, I admire your tenacity. You have been patient for the majority of the 735 messages, some of which did appear to be fairly personal attacks. I realise you were trying to answer all the numerous questions as honestly as you could. As with anything, people are entitled to different opinions. I didn't infer that you had a problem with the spouses of pilots by any of your postings but clearly others did. Why don't you come for time out on the bassa site ?

bigfatbosslady - I have read all 737 messages. I think at one stage a large proportion of the posters, I am sure unintentionally, seemed to be ganging up collectively on onestonetogo. I thought she handled it exceptionally well, considering.

bigfatbosslady, let's say it's localised to this thread and so far I've always got on well with pilots wives I've met in real life (some are friends too). Maybe this thread attracted one particular type of PW? Maybe they are getting off on the bitchfest? I think it's hilarious how some posters declare themselves "insulted" or "deeply offended" by some harmless tongue-in-cheek comments, just to make you come across as "really bad", to avert attention from their maliciousness.

Off to bed, I have a vary busy weekend coming up!

Jellyhead, thanks, I'm poppin in on the Bassa site now for some fresh air

I am not sure if I said Counsel yourself Maddyjensen but I would say this, prior to the strike I really hoped OSTG wouldn't go on strike, as I hoped most CC wouldn't. I thought she had nothing to gain, was being manipulated by unions and this was not the time. Then the accusations innuendo and insults began, and I lost all sympathy for her and others.

Then you came on with tales of cancer patients, accusing me of being anti-feminist degrading the role my husband has and generally coming across as supercilious.

I have had really lovely chats with cabin crew at Gatwick, I have never once sat at home thinking hmm I wonder if DH is shagging cabin crew as OSTG seems to think I have.
I find Gatwick CC lovely, they have always been fantastic when I have traveled with them and they have more recently expressed that they feel cheated by the strikers. I know if my husband does his job with the captain and lands his plane in an emergency it's up to the cabin crew to get the passengers out safely, and I hope they would all live up to the challenge.

My husband took a 2.6% paycut-pilots unlike UNITE did not say they want that back as a bonus in three years. Cabin crew were asked to have Heathrow CSDs work a service on flights, with no pay cuts and they were offered shares in the future, UNITE said no. Whatever else you feel against the company that is what you are striking about. For that I and the majority of cabin crew and women on here have little sympathy.

As a pilot DH will never ever earn as much as he did in his previous profession, even if he reached the top of pay points.
By staying at home with my son, I will not be bringing in the money I did before.
This is all irrelevant though, because it is whether we can survive on the income our household currently has, as long as BA survives then yes we will.
Financially between us we have qualifications and experience that means one or other of us would find another job. Sadly that is not the experience of most employees of BA. That is why most of them are willing to fight for the very survival of their employer and DH and I will join that fight.

Silver1 - please would you look at my posting (page 29) - it is quite long and dull I appreciate, but that is what I feel both myself and a lot of my colleagues are fighting for, not the issues you mentioned in your post. For example, Cabin crew have offered pay cuts amongst many other things. There is a letter to the editor in The Guardian today 26/03/10, written by many experts in Industrial Relations that summarizes very concisely why I believe whatever our community or our union had offered would not have been acceptable to the current leadership team. It can be viewed online if you wish to view it.

Silver...I have not degraded the role of your husband...if you read my posts, I have the upmost respect for them, and always will have.

Anyhow I,m off to try and sleep...

I think we should just respect each others opinions even if we don't agree....

If we did all agree life would be so much easier would'nt it???

Goodnight

I read your post- I read a much better letter in The Times today, and legally you are on strike for one issue, that is the only one your strike can be negotiated on.
Your post is not dull, but it is not relevant to the legal implications of your strike.

And for everyone- I will sit here and defend Gatwick Cabin Crew from the pay cut Heathrow want to impose until the cows come home.
They earn less
Their allowances are appropriate for spending abroad not saving as part of their salary-so again that is less income
They work harder under the new measures already
They have been systematically betrayed by Heathrow Bassa reps trying to negotiate a better deal for themselves.

OSTG I think if some of your pilot wives friends read some of your comments on here they would cease to be your friend.

Silver 1- I appreciate your point that legally, as indeed BALPA can affirm, any industrial action can only be instigated with regards to the actual and not what may happen in the future. I did emphasize in my post that these were my personal reasons although they all would stand up to legal scrutiny. I presume as a reader of "The Times" you will therefore have seen the advertisement by one of BA's premium customers (25/03/10) appealing to the shareholders to support the cabin crew industrial action as the cabin crew were the only reason he still chose to fly with us as the product was, in the most part vastly inferior. Without well remunerated crew, who would therefore no longer opt to stay within BA, our only means of differentiating ourselves from our competitors, in his opinion would be lost.

sorry too late for me - typo " they all would not stand up to legal scrutiny" was the correct version

I refer to the letter from a former pilot in the Times, I think shareholders speak from themselves in the surge in value of BA stock.

I do think BA stands out as being slightly frilly in economy but people don't want to be paying for the personal problems in cabin crew life, just for the wine and sandwiches, and the ability to check in a suitcase.

Your post is well written, but I just think your strike isn't as articulate.

Silver1-I hope that the BA leadership team would determine future business strategy by considering feedback from one of our current high-yield customers/shareholders with more weight than the opinions of a retired pilot. Retired staff on their concessions are not going to keep us in busines. Customers like Mr Kashani-Akhavan might ( the letter's author). Before I am accused by any forum users - I have nothing against BA pilots retired or otherwise - my husband is one. I am merely trying to point out that a letter from any of our customers should be considered to have more merit than one from a retired staff members?

I clearly, however, need lessons in typing
corrections " business"