British Airways told 'do better' as maternity pay policy emerges
Feb 7, 2019, 2:04 pm
#1
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British Airways told 'do better' as maternity pay policy emerges
Browsing the papers and thought this was worth posting in a new thread.
https://www.theguardian.com/business...icy-emerges-ba
British Airways’ stated commitment to recruiting more female pilots has been called into question after it emerged that the flag carrier offers only a “scandalous” six weeks’ maternity pay to its staff. Although BA has launched a recruitment drive to get more women in the cockpit for its centenary year, and employs about 300 female pilots, any who become pregnant face a 90% pay cut. This leads some to choose between financial hardship or terminations, according to unions.The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said the current level of maternity pay across the aviation industry was a scandal and an obstacle to women joining the profession.
Pilots are often the sole or main earner in families, it said, while younger pilots may still be paying off training costs which can typically exceed Ł100,000. Lilian Greenwood, the chair of the Commons transport select committee, said BA needed to do better, adding that there was a big difference between observing the legal minimum and standard practice. She said: “BA is better than the average for female pilot recruitment, but a long way from where it should be.
“If they are serious about change and improving that balance they have do better – not just professional development but supporting women during their career, if they want to combine that with being a mother.” Balpa’s general secretary, Brian Strutton, said: “Many of the hardships associated with an 80-90% reduction in pay are obvious. Increasingly, women pilots are also servicing debt from the costs of higher education and flight training, along with saving for the costs of buying a first house.
https://www.theguardian.com/business...icy-emerges-ba
British Airways’ stated commitment to recruiting more female pilots has been called into question after it emerged that the flag carrier offers only a “scandalous” six weeks’ maternity pay to its staff. Although BA has launched a recruitment drive to get more women in the cockpit for its centenary year, and employs about 300 female pilots, any who become pregnant face a 90% pay cut. This leads some to choose between financial hardship or terminations, according to unions.The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said the current level of maternity pay across the aviation industry was a scandal and an obstacle to women joining the profession.
Pilots are often the sole or main earner in families, it said, while younger pilots may still be paying off training costs which can typically exceed Ł100,000. Lilian Greenwood, the chair of the Commons transport select committee, said BA needed to do better, adding that there was a big difference between observing the legal minimum and standard practice. She said: “BA is better than the average for female pilot recruitment, but a long way from where it should be.
“If they are serious about change and improving that balance they have do better – not just professional development but supporting women during their career, if they want to combine that with being a mother.” Balpa’s general secretary, Brian Strutton, said: “Many of the hardships associated with an 80-90% reduction in pay are obvious. Increasingly, women pilots are also servicing debt from the costs of higher education and flight training, along with saving for the costs of buying a first house.
Last edited by Prospero; Feb 8, 2019 at 12:56 am Reason: reduce article clip to a three paragraph summary per rule 9
Feb 7, 2019, 2:42 pm
#2
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Hey get with the times, it’s parental leave these days in any case.
Last edited by navylad; Feb 7, 2019 at 10:41 pm
Feb 7, 2019, 5:56 pm
#4
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That's confused me that one! Couldn't find an answer on Google either or is it a political correctness saying or something 
Dinnae blame me, I'm just the Reporter 
I think the point is BA, according to the article, could do better compared to some other airlines.
I think the point is BA, according to the article, could do better compared to some other airlines.
Feb 7, 2019, 6:18 pm
#5
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I don’t see a reason why BA should do better. Obviously it’s more beneficial to have a male pilot who is going to work more time/years for the airline and if girls do want to be pilots a maternity pay benefit is not gonna sway them one way or another.
just all this modern day media reporting
just all this modern day media reporting
Feb 7, 2019, 6:30 pm
#6
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I don’t see a reason why BA should do better. Obviously it’s more beneficial to have a male pilot who is going to work more time/years for the airline and if girls do want to be pilots a maternity pay benefit is not gonna sway them one way or another.
just all this modern day media reporting
just all this modern day media reporting
Feb 7, 2019, 6:45 pm
#7
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Yes you have to pay more ( in bennies or cash) to get what you want !
Feb 7, 2019, 10:40 pm
#8
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https://www.gov.uk/shared-parental-leave-and-pay
Feb 8, 2019, 12:37 am
#9
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Some have more generous terms than others
6 weeks full pay, reducing to somewhere around 75% of full pay up until 6 months, followed by a reduction to SMP up to 9 months was the most generous I’ve seen.
There are are a LOT of employers who just pay SMP these days
6 weeks full pay, reducing to somewhere around 75% of full pay up until 6 months, followed by a reduction to SMP up to 9 months was the most generous I’ve seen.
There are are a LOT of employers who just pay SMP these days
Feb 8, 2019, 1:52 am
#10
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My understanding is that pursuing a career as a pilot is a fairly expensive, and therefore risky, undertaking. Someone who follows that path is unlikely to stop and say, "actually the parental leave pay policy at one airline is poor, I'm not going to do this anymore". Plus, if other airlines have better pay/policies, then what's the problem? Either people who care about that can work elsewhere, or BA offers better pay/conditions in other ways. Would you cut annual salaries by a few Łk/year for everyone to pay more to people who aren't working?
Feb 8, 2019, 4:25 am
#12
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I don’t see a reason why BA should do better. Obviously it’s more beneficial to have a male pilot who is going to work more time/years for the airline and if girls do want to be pilots a maternity pay benefit is not gonna sway them one way or another.
just all this modern day media reporting
just all this modern day media reporting
I my experience I actually find women executives in Investment banking tend to be more willing to listen and build consensus and are thus less prone to making stupid errors. Perhaps something to consider on a flight deck. The lose of valuable skills and experience to outdated thinking on a "woman's place" must cost our economy billions every year.
Using the word "girls" disparage women is just pathetic.
Feb 8, 2019, 4:59 am
#13
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Well this thread is just a depressing reminder that Flyertalk mainly consists of male dinosaurs.
Fortunately I think attitudes are slowly changing with the younger generations.
Fortunately I think attitudes are slowly changing with the younger generations.
Feb 8, 2019, 5:03 am
#14
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If retention of highly trained and professional female pilots who get pregnant is low due to only offering SMP then you do have a problem. The costs of offering a better maternity pay policy for pilots are probably smaller when compared to the costs of recruiting and training new pilots to replace them.
Also, why restrict yourself to only half the gene pool and potentially miss out on exceptional employees because they are female.
Also, why restrict yourself to only half the gene pool and potentially miss out on exceptional employees because they are female.
Last edited by McG; Feb 8, 2019 at 5:06 am Reason: Grammar
