It's a funny old world...


It wasn't so long ago that our pilot colleagues wanted our help.

They were organizing a ballot for strike action over their fears regarding
the introduction of "open skies" and the impact it could have on their
future prospects and earnings.

Our pilot colleagues were, quite rightly, concerned and felt very
confident of their moral high ground and balked at the audacity of British
Airways for daring to seek to undermine them by employing cheap labour
pilots, on inferior terms and conditions.

BA attempted to end their legitimate ballot by legal action, and their
threats prevailed.

Sound familiar?

How surprising then, as we face a battle for our own survival, that BALPA
has tacitly set up a facility on its website forum, for its own members to
actively volunteer to work as cabin crew to break our strike.

How thoughtful of them to repay our support. They can rest assured that
when their time comes, and it will, that we will be equally supportive.

Apologies to those pilot colleagues - and we know there are many - who
have a conscience and would never dream of doing such an underhand act,
but to those that choose to do so and those that requested it....

Have a good long hard look at yourself and remember how much our two
communities will suffer. Our Unions may not have always seen eye to eye
but at the end of the sector when push comes to shove (and doors go into
manual) crew will always "protect" pilots ...............

Statement from Jim McAuslan, General Secretary BALPA:

Last summer, and following a thorough review of the company’s finances, BALPA members recognised that major changes needed to be made to the company’s cost base. Other staff groups, including engineers, shared that view.

As a result pilots voted to contribute £26 million of annual savings to help the company survive and thrive and in return will have some equity in the company.

BALPA and the vast majority of its members have a very different analysis of the situation in BA to representatives of the cabin crew union. We recognise the frustration that must have prompted so many cabin crew members to vote for strike action last year, but BALPA members were stunned by the threat of a 12 day strike at Christmas.

BALPA is not in dispute with BA and if and when a strike is called by the cabin crew union we will issue guidance to our members to ensure they comply with the law and operate normally to fulfil their full range of duties.

We understand a number of pilots have responded to BA’s call for volunteers to keep the airline operating through any strike and from their postings it is clear that this is out of concern for their own futures and that of other employees. For the avoidance of doubt, BALPA’s position on this is neutral and we will not dictate to our members. Nevertheless the suggestion that BALPA has “tacitly set up a facility on its website forum, for its own members to actively volunteer to work as cabin crew to break our strike” is entirely false and I have written to Unite explaining this.

We will continue to highlight to both our own members, and to the leadership of other unions that, once any strike is settled, it will be important for good and safe operations for fellow employees whether they operate on the flight-deck or in the cabin, to work together.
BALPA still hopes that both sides can reach a negotiated settlement and if
there is any role we can play to help with this then we only need to be asked.

Lizanne,

This has become a regular complaint now. We have, in the past, tolerated snipes and snide remarks from your organisation but as the stakes are so high for you, and our employer, we must now play this completely by the book (and letter of the LAW).

YET AGAIN you have posted a completely false and potentially libelous statement about BALPA on your forum. I attach it below. We have never and will never put any link or other tacit support for Backing BA on our forum or elsewhere. In this dispute we remain neutral as an organisation, our Chairman Brendan O'Neal made that very clear the moment "Backing BA" was launched. Our members are at liberty to volunteer for the scheme if they so wish. We give no guidance or assistance if they choose to do this. This is in line with any other voluntary scheme BA have ever run. BALPA does not dictate actions to our members.

To correct another obvious error, we never asked for your "support" during the OpenSkies dispute with BA. I made several phone calls to Sean Beatty to brief him but never made an approach for assistance. BALPA as a whole did seek a Unite endorsement for our campaign at the TUC but that was downstream of our dispute. A handful of your members supported us on our march on 15th March but that numbered no more than half a dozen. There were of course many spouses and partners of our members that may well have also been members of your union- we did not log marchers' affiliation. It is however incorrect to say BALPA asked for support or indeed that any was given by BASSA either overtly or otherwise.

I ask you to consider the effect your communications may have on relations between our two communities. Our respective members work together in a very proximate and safety critical environment. Creating a divide and spreading false and inflammatory comments about our community and/or union will not help either side maintain a safe, dignified and professional atmosphere in the workplace. We must both do our utmost to preserve relations between our respective workgroups.

The above will be followed up by a letter from John Moore to Steve Turner. Once again, we request you remove or edit the offending article at the earliest opportunity and in any event by midday today (22nd Jan). We reserve our right to litigate if you fail to comply.

The above is all subject to disclosure due to your ongoing legal action with BA. I will also post it on our forum for our members for their information. You are free to do likewise.

xxxxxx xxxxxxx
British Airways Company Council
BALPA