BA ground staff at LHR: Summer '22 strike threat suspended after deal agreed
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#211
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#213
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#214
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However much BA might like to play hard here, they simply cannot afford to IMHO. The court of public opinion is firmly on the employee side and the public’s current perception of BA is that it is in chaos of it’s own making.
Last edited by Tafflyer; Jul 3, 22 at 2:50 am Reason: typo
#215
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View from the West Side of the Pond: also a Semi Proud Union Member (Our Union Management has some explaining to do in this years union election)
Depending on whether or not, and/or how long the strike goes on my guess is that Public Opinion will bounce back and forth for a week or so between Management and the Unions. After that there will be a fairly long period of both sides being blamed for the problems caused to the innocent bystanders by the Public and both sides will be joint Big Losers. There are plenty of historical examples of unions destroying a company and then the membership is then considerably worse off.
I completely sympathize with the unions on this but there are better ways to deal with this than a long walkout. Work to Rule has been known to make Company Management rethink things and the Union Management should be reminding their members that if the Company away goes so will the jobs. We've had a couple of instances over here where the local union has actually taken the attitude that "We need to provide the best quality" and drags the national union and the company along with them. The best outcome for all concerned.
Depending on whether or not, and/or how long the strike goes on my guess is that Public Opinion will bounce back and forth for a week or so between Management and the Unions. After that there will be a fairly long period of both sides being blamed for the problems caused to the innocent bystanders by the Public and both sides will be joint Big Losers. There are plenty of historical examples of unions destroying a company and then the membership is then considerably worse off.
I completely sympathize with the unions on this but there are better ways to deal with this than a long walkout. Work to Rule has been known to make Company Management rethink things and the Union Management should be reminding their members that if the Company away goes so will the jobs. We've had a couple of instances over here where the local union has actually taken the attitude that "We need to provide the best quality" and drags the national union and the company along with them. The best outcome for all concerned.
Last edited by ttuna3; Jul 3, 22 at 2:57 am
#216
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But this is not one of the usual industrial disputes. BA reduced staff dramatically during Covid but also reduced the salaries of staff it retained after firing and rehiring them at lower salaries. Now demand is up, BA cannot get enough staff and has restored the higher salaries of management but not these employees. At the same time due to staff shortages, these employees are being asked to work extra days and longer shifts. Initially, the airline refused to even listen to them. In the meantime, inflation has jumped to 10% meaning that even if their previous salaries are restored, they will still be worse off.
#217
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Tafflyer
I agree with what you're saying. We have a huge issue in my union about pay that we should have had been paid, but the government doesn't want to pay us. It was a COVID thing where we were restricted to our ships and the government and and Navy people where heading off their ships for liberty on the same pier. This is not going to be good for several of our officials this year.
If BA management got their money, then the frontline people should as well. I might suggest that since Mr Doyle and the rest of the management team are generally not subject to the Hours of Service rules they should be pulling shifts on the line dealing with the problems caused by their poor decision making. Also the Union management should be pulling a few shifts as well since they obviously dropped the ball as well
I agree with what you're saying. We have a huge issue in my union about pay that we should have had been paid, but the government doesn't want to pay us. It was a COVID thing where we were restricted to our ships and the government and and Navy people where heading off their ships for liberty on the same pier. This is not going to be good for several of our officials this year.
If BA management got their money, then the frontline people should as well. I might suggest that since Mr Doyle and the rest of the management team are generally not subject to the Hours of Service rules they should be pulling shifts on the line dealing with the problems caused by their poor decision making. Also the Union management should be pulling a few shifts as well since they obviously dropped the ball as well
#218
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Encouraging noises reported by the BBC today: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62076602
Unions representing about 700 staff at Heathrow Airport could be close to a deal with British Airways that would avert strikes this summer.
Following nine hours of negotiations on Wednesday, an "agreement in principle" is now being discussed, the BBC understands.
Such an deal could be signed later on Thursday and would then be put to a ballot of GMB and Unite union members.
Union sources said a "good offer" on pay is on the table.
...
It is not clear whether that pay cut will be fully reversed, and over what time scale, but unions are positive about the offer that is on the table for those employees.
Following nine hours of negotiations on Wednesday, an "agreement in principle" is now being discussed, the BBC understands.
Such an deal could be signed later on Thursday and would then be put to a ballot of GMB and Unite union members.
Union sources said a "good offer" on pay is on the table.
...
It is not clear whether that pay cut will be fully reversed, and over what time scale, but unions are positive about the offer that is on the table for those employees.
#219
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Encouraging noises reported by the BBC today: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62076602
#221
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British Airways (BA) workers have suspended a strike that had been planned at Heathrow during the school summer holidays after receiving a "vastly improved" pay offer from the airline.
After extensive negotiations, the Unite and GMB unions said an agreement was reached and members involved in the dispute would now vote on the proposed offer.
More than 700 check-in staff and ground-handling agents had voted for industrial action, seeking to reverse a 10% pay cut imposed during the pandemic when global lockdowns grounded flights.
Around 13,000 jobs had also been cut by BA.
The airline had previously offered a 10% one-off bonus, but not a return to the same pay as before.
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Details of BA's new offer were not disclosed.
After extensive negotiations, the Unite and GMB unions said an agreement was reached and members involved in the dispute would now vote on the proposed offer.
More than 700 check-in staff and ground-handling agents had voted for industrial action, seeking to reverse a 10% pay cut imposed during the pandemic when global lockdowns grounded flights.
Around 13,000 jobs had also been cut by BA.
The airline had previously offered a 10% one-off bonus, but not a return to the same pay as before.
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Details of BA's new offer were not disclosed.
#222
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I’d be highly surprised if BA didn’t back down for this and agree something with the unions. Like how BA had an “upper hand” against unions during 2020 with the so-called “fire and rehire” redundancy consultations, at this point in time BA are almost completely at the mercy of unions. If a strike were to go ahead it would be absolutely disastrous financially for BA just as it predicts returning to profitability by next quarter! If a strike does go ahead, then that would probably curtains for Doyle too in the process.
#224
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You could argue that but the whole reason for the cancellations is a lack of staff. A staff body the airline is desperate to hold onto as loosing them would plunge even more flights into the cancellation chasm.
#225
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It was a disgraceful and inept handling of pay, and for probably the first time in my life actually (mentally) supported strike action. It has been a shameful action by BA.