New BA Cabin Crew Strikes - 18/5 - 22/5, 24/5 - 28/5, 30/5 - 3/6, 5/6 - 9/6 2010

[Mal]

Just announced on BBC:

BBC News - British Airways strike dates announced

Cabin crew will walk out for four separate five-day strikes in May and June.

The first strike will begin on 18 May, ending on 22 May, with the three further strikes beginning on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.

 

[samh004]

And BA can’t just sack the lot of them and rehire better workers why now?

F’ing useless, the lot of them!

In this environment, with a volcano and small recoveries from a financial crisis, with another looming because of Greece… surely it’s not the time to push your luck and bankrupt the Company that’s paying your salary.

I’m flying them late-June, but I almost wish BA failed so they’d understand just how expendable they are, and what a cough-up a strike at this time is.

 

[Dave Noble]

And BA can’t just sack the lot of them and rehire better workers why now?
.

Gee, I don't know... employment laws perhaps

 

[JetLagged]

Gee, I don't know... employment laws perhaps

As much as I detest BA for its rotten level of service, old aircraft and frumpy FAs, decency and morality win here, Dave - fair dismissal laws stop rogue decisions. Mind you, I agree with all of the other sentiments found in the OP re the insensibility of bankrupting the company by stupid strikes.

 

[docjames]

Ugh, have LHR-CDG on 31/5 and CDG-LHR on 4/6. Maybe I should book Eurostar now....


I too think there must be a better way. :evil::evil::evil::evil::evil:

 

[anat0l]

If there's anything like holding the airline to ransom, here we have a textbook case.

Looks like BA will have to dig into its contingency coffers again.

I've had all nice crew so far on all my BA flights. I know this is not the case across the airline (but it's similar for many other airlines, too, even the good ones).

 

[serfty]

Actually, unless something changes soon, this particular strike may be illegal. The Unions involved purported it to be in relation to the reinstatement of Staff Travel rights to CC who partook in the previous strike and BA's initiation of disciplinary processes for some staff, some of which are the result of far from trivial action.

The original vote was not on these issues - hence any strike action on the ST and Discipline breaks regulation unless a specific vote is taken.

The unions (BASSA/Unite) may have realised this and could shortly announce a belated move to have separate action specifically about the treatment of strikers (ST and Discipline); at the same time redefining the action as for the previous reasons.

 

[kamchatsky]

With this strike repeating itself over and over again, why not people just avoid BA at the first place? I mean you can always fly QF on QF metal to get over there. Also for intra-Europe and TATL, maybe you can fly competitor airlines instead?

These strikes will never end until BA collapses, but I assume that the staff bet that the UK government will bail it out and still provide benefits to the employees.

 

[Logan^]

Somewhat short sighted imo, apparently the ash cloud cost BA 160m GBP and they are striking, its beyond me really.

Glad I told my mum to book QF for her flights out here to Australia in late August, cause no doubt they might try and strike again.

 

[docjames]

With this strike repeating itself over and over again, why not people just avoid BA at the first place? I mean you can always fly QF on QF metal to get over there. Also for intra-Europe and TATL, maybe you can fly competitor airlines instead?

These strikes will never end until BA collapses, but I assume that the staff bet that the UK government will bail it out and still provide benefits to the employees.

Not so easy given that i booked prior to ANY of the strikes :evil:

Hopefully by the "second round" which affects our travel plans, BA will have worked a solution so we dont end up stuck at LHR for hours and hours, yet also doesnt require a LHR--> LGW transfer!

 

[Andyzx]

why not people just avoid BA at the first place? I mean you can always fly QF on QF metal to get over there. Also for intra-Europe and TATL, maybe you can fly competitor airlines instead? .

Some of us are unable to. Mrs Zx and I have separate flights booked in July (hopefully they wont stretch to then. Mrs Zx is on airpoints, QF to UK and BA home - not a lot of choice and these were booked 349 days 23.59 hours prior to departure. I have a flight ex HKG after spending a full day there. No QF flights are night flights and CX is significantly more expensive on trying to connect via one way flights to QF home. As we start the return journey from MAN and its important to maintain a single booking reference so you dont get left behind. All of this was booked prior to the hints of strikes, ash clounds and anything else that may make it a long trip home. Sure there are options but at what cost.:!:

Hopefully some people will see the big picture, but not really looking forward to grumpy FA's that have lost another round.:arrow:

 

[JetLagged]

Hopefully some people will see the big picture, but not really looking forward to grumpy FA's that have lost another round.:arrow:

Grumpy AND frumpy - the thought makes you wish you were a long distance swimmer!

 

[anat0l]

Reading the Master Thread on these strikes on FT is exhausting (I haven't even thought about going to MFT to read up if they have a similar thread).

There's quite a few calls to sack all the unionists; as we know constitutionally that's not going to happen.

BA really won't go under, although if it does a JAL (so to speak) then I suppose when it comes to restructuring / staff cuts, the strikers will feel the sword first.

 

[samh004]

Gee, I don't know... employment laws perhaps

Haha, might have forgot to add a to the end of that.

 

[Voyages]

Geez I certainly do not like the sound of this. Got 5 flights :!: with BA between end of May and early June, all in the strike period. ARGHHH

 

[serfty]

Currently BA are indicating flights to/from LGW/LCY are not going to be affected and limited disruption should occur with the LHR flights.

(BA cabin crew strike 2010 - latest information - British Airways)

Last updated 18:30 - 11 May 2010

Unite, the trade union for British Airways (BA) cabin crew, has announced its intention to take strike action between 18 May and 9 June.

At the moment all of our flights are continuing to operate as normal.

If the strike does go ahead not all our flights will be cancelled.

We plan to operate all flights to and from London City and London Gatwick.
At Heathrow we plan to operate a substantial part of our longhaul schedule and there will be a number of flights to every destination across our shorthaul network.

 

[Dave Noble]

Haha, might have forgot to add a to the end of that.

I dont think so. The rights to strike are covered under law and such attitudes of "just sack them" belong in the 19th century imo

 

[Mal]

I dont think so. The rights to strike are covered under law and such attitudes of "just sack them" belong in the 19th century imo

And the payouts for sacking someone might be lower than the cost of them striking... Either way, BASSA are really doing stupid things, and it's quite likely that either BA will get the strike called off via the court, or will let it occur and use legal processes open to them to remove the striking staff.

 

[simongr]

I dont think so. The rights to strike are covered under law and such attitudes of "just sack them" belong in the 19th century imo

Sorry but if told my boss I wasn't coming to work because I didn't like his conditions I would be looking for a new job. I equate the right to withdraw labour with the right to withdraw employment.

 

[notzac]

I dont think so. The rights to strike are covered under law and such attitudes of "just sack them" belong in the 19th century imo

Slight diversion from the topic at hand - but that reminded me of a clip from Fast Forward on the YouTubes: YouTube - Money Matters 2