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?

You neglect to mention OSTG that during that 'arduous' 6 day trip you get a hefty payment to compensate for the lack of 3 days off between trips....oh and the destination payments so you don't go sick for unpopular trips oh and the Box payments when you work on longer flights or are delayed. My CSD friend got payed £900 because her LA was delayed and she ended up doing an 18 hour day and people wonder why BA is making a loss.....the list is endless! Your insistence about an old contract CSD's pay is also way off, I should know as my BF is a lonhaul CSD in for 14 years and we have no secrets.

I thought planes only flew mon to fri 9 til 5

Perhaps OSTG has been taking tips on accuracy from BASSA!

Geek, then why poin out that midwives work unsociable hours? Did you think I thought that babise were born 9 til 5?

Ye, we get a back-to-back payment, around £220. A whole back to back trip is worth (depends where you go to) roughly £500. I pay £75 per day in childcare every day I'm at work, btw. And you get a back to back every 3 months roughly.

What else do you want me to say? I've told you all the money we get, never mind if it comes from overtime (like your mate's flight which was delayed), block payment, scheduled or unscedule overtime! You know how much we earn, I must've posted at least 3 times on this thread, so what else do you want? My national insurance number???

Dh, who flies frequently to US, Japan etc has now told his PA to book with any other airline than BA.

Most of his colleagues are doing the same.

As he and his team always fly business, and they're not alone, I don't think BA will survive at this rate which is v. sad.

It was to make it clear that the pay was including unsocial hours as we get paid extra for these. A basic wage would be less.

no, just some honesty so people outside the airline can make an informed decision about whether the strike is reasonable or not.

Anyway, I'm out of this thread. Going to the picket line tomorrow. Good luck to everyone, enjoy your jobs, bonuses, weekends off, xmas off, etc. I get none of those and apparently should earn well below poverty line according to you.

oh please,enough of the self pity! you have a good, well paid job and you and the other militant sheep are being reckless and selfish and deserve absolutely no sympathy. I hope it rains tomorrow

Onestone - I get no bonus or staff priviledges, work many many weekends and nights, work christmas, new year, easter etc. I even pay for my own tea and coffee!

I think for the job you actually do the pay is more than enough. JSA is a lot less.

Am a bit torn on whether I support the strike or not.

But I don't like BA as they took my gold card away because I didn't fly enough qualifying miles at the last stages of pregnancy (when I couldn't fly) and during my few months mat leave.

Never mind the years of flying I had done with them before......

OSTG I really do hope you change your mind and do the sensible thing.
I would love to see how many people show up to Unite's meeting today-after the offensive image of victory that got Unite complaints from the American Veteran Association and the Holocaust Survivors Institute, and the video that was pulled from Youtube because it caused offense rather than inspired sympathy, comparing yourself to survivors of the holocaust, Hiroshima, Tienamin Sqaure,nepalm bomb survivors, if it wasn't so crass and offensive it would have been funny!
I look forward to seeing what us presented today in support of your cause.

£2k a month net for a waitressing job isn't bad imo.

im sorry Im a bit late here I have been reading this thread with interest and it is good to see some of the ponts are quite valid but onestone is just coming across as slightly deluded, Willie Walsh takes home £70,000 a month, 5 times as much as Barack Obama errr no according to the whitehouse:
President?s Salary
Effective January 1, 2001, the annual salary of the president of the United States was increased to $400,000 per year, including a $50,000 expense allowance.

5 x less than 70,000 is 14k a year - equaivalent to 21,000 USD. so I am guessing that you dont handle the cash purse on the flight?

Asteri I think you present a good point, cabin crew have some genuine concerns but they unquestioningly swallow what is told to them, and don't work things out for themselves.

BTW isn't that 14k a month?

Asteri, actually your maths is out. Willie Walsh earns £70k per month = £840k per years vs Barack Obama earning $450,000 per year.

In theory, I support the right to strike, I just think this particular strike is stupid and naive.

Looks likely to be called off now which is a good thing as for this to go ahead would be the end of BA in my opinion. I specifically choose other airlines now when I used to fly with BA all the time. How long is a consumer opinion like this sustainable?

Ewe, I do apologise if I misread the post.

I also agree with daftpunk and would urge everyone to re-read onestop's detailed posts.

Willie Walsh is a c**t of the highest order. Read the small print and see the bigger picture for Chrissakes.

O

mm well as soon as I was called 'clueless', I realised the sort of person I was talking to. If I bother to address your points, I'll just be called names again, and arguing with people on the internet is like shouting at clouds.

I'm not cabin crew, so don't really have much to add to that side of this, but if anyone is in any doubt about what a bunch of utter fuckwits Unite are - they still advise ALL their members to take industrial action against any employer which looks to close their final salary pension scheme to new members
And have just closed their own final salary pension to scheme to new members.

Nuff said.

Having just watched Steve Woodley at a press conference UNITE are not looking to negotiate they are looking for BA to back down and retreat, and BA wont.

Willie Walsh isn't paid to be a nice man. Throwing your toys out of the pram wont make him a nice man, so why don't you stop calling him nasty names and look at how good you have things right now and how much you have to lose, lay aside the BASSA literature and just think it all through for yourselves.

sorry onestonetogo having a job that allows you to work 1 month full time and then one month off is a huge benefit - especially as you will keep benefits inbetween - many employers and roles simply could not entertain that element of flexibility.

I think Unite have not represented their case well - and are in a position of weakness - too often have they threatened disruption.

I agree with how silver1 put it. BA are in a position where they can not back down.