SLF

Until the events of the last few days, the sole part of BA which I found to be unacceptable (and by & large everything else works very well from check-in, lounge, cabin crew etc.) is the baggage handling at T4. There are numerous accounts on this board of how bad baggage delivery can be at T4, including premium passengers regularly waiting until all other bags are out, and waiting for 30-45 minutes before the first bag is out (not uncommon).

Many of these bag handlers have been tarnishing the reputation of BA for years, by making the final part of the "BA flight experience" a lacklustre one. Whether the fault is staff alone, or also perhaps equipment or even procedures I'm not sure. I've no doubt also that there are good apples as well as bad ones. It seems though that the (lack of) efforts of the bad ones outweigh any good done by others.

The recent events have shown us their true colours. The bag handlers don't care. They don't care about damaging the airline. They don't care about families. They don't care about business people. They don't care about people needing to travel for personal (tragic) circumstances.

Why should I believe that they care about getting my bag to me quickly when I get off the plane?

Instead of quietly getting on with their jobs, they have brought a spotlight on themselves and the fact that they believe they are somehow important in the grand scheme of BA. For them, this was a stupid mistake, because they have demonstrated to the public world-wide that a disease grips this part of BA.

If the RE/WW team doesn't take some decisive action on this, then they will look weak and will be walked over again in the future. This illegal action must be met with strong leadership.

IMO, any of them who walked out illegally should be fired.

Speaking as a shareholder, I would fully support action such as sueing the T&G, etc. This disease needs to be eradicated from a company I care about, and so the rest of the (mostly excellent) staff in other departments can concentrate on delivering excellent service, and achieving their targets & bonuses - and making the customers happy.

The 1970's have gone. This type of thing must not happen again.

lhrworker

see my latest post.....

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462234

wheresmybagba

lhrworker, all of what you say may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that the action taken by these members of BA staff is wholly unacceptable.

If you feel the terms & conditions of your employment are unacceptable then enter into a process, supported by your union, of negotiation with the airline, with the THREAT of strike action if need be and perhaps even having to carry out that threat - I have no problem with that.

Walking off the job, giving your employer no chance to understand or address your grievances I really do have a problem with - that is militancy pure and simple. If it was practical to do so I would support BA 100% if it made a decision to let them go.

SLF

The short term issue has been resolved (getting the airline working again). The long term issue, as outlined in my post above, remains to be resolved.

doktordisko

This militancy is exactly what brought the downfall of another famous British institution not so long ago (Rover).

blawson

It will be interesting to see what BA do in the short term - they are obviosuly going to change catering company (they are mad if they don't) - but how quickly can this be done. Sky News suggest it would take 4-6 weeks to do security checks, etc. - would they risk flying without food in this 4-6 week period?

I would imagine they will find they have maybe half a dozen ring leaders - sack them without further delay - the reality of no pay cheque will soon get the others back to work.

tristan727

Not quite - it put it into a position though where a pair of crooks were handed £100 million to spend as they like.

ojs555

Does anyone know why BA doesn't use 2 catering suppliers (the other being Skychefs presumably?)? Then, if there's problems with one, they can just use the other.

It might not necessarily be in BA's interests for GG to go down the swanny. If Skychefs then become the sole supplier they'll be in a monopolistic position: able to charge what they like.

(Just a thought...)

Mr Enigma

God I hope not I am off to SFO in J and F soon on a 241, I think the food is part of the whole service and I would be a bit peed if there did not have the full service by early sept.

BOH

But that's only the recent history. Remember the union chap "Red Robbo" of the 70's and the infamous (and constant) news pictures of strikers huddled round a fire made in an oil drim whilst picketing the gates?

spotwelder

I believe that the most recent "excuse" of congestion at the aircraft's side is utter bull5h1t. I have sent the customer service people a nice picture of all the trucks and how they are to be parked in order to service the aircraft is a reasonable time.

It will be interesting to see the response. After all, the pictures do not contain any congestion. I wonder if they will introduce a congestion charge?

bounty

I don't know if this story from the Telegraph was referred to at the time of publication (6th August), but it does seem quite pertinent, given the events this week.

MetalDoggy

I, generally speaking, have relatively middle of the road politics but following the actions of the "workers" I wish we could wheel Margaret Thatcher in to sort it out her style. Living in Asia, I see how hard people work and unless there is a significant change in the mindset of industry in the UK and the rest of the Anglo-Saxon world there will be virtually no industry left.

I believe strongly in a minimum working wage, acceptable working conditions and although wary of collective representation accept people's right to it. However, without sounding harsh, I would be interested to know what "skills" baggage handlers and catering staff have that put them in a position they can cripple the UK's main international infrastructure hub?

As evidenced by Purserette, Pucci and an average flying experience with BA - the cabin crew typically have class, patience and excellent customer service skills. Indeed I have never had a bad BA experience caused by front-facing BA staff. I would not grudge them an extra fiver. What skills do the bulk of the baggage handlers and catering crew have? By law they are granted a minimum living wage (how many of them earn more than this?) and working conditions that meet health and safety standards.

If they are not happy with their job and feel they are underpaid then they should be able to get a better job elsewhere. This is simple economics. Unemployment is currently very low in case they haven't noticed.

As discussed by other posters there is a legal process for the staff to follow through the unions that they choose to pay their "hard-earned" money over to if they feel that health and safety standards are not being met. The ramifications for BA and its suppliers are significant if they are breaching these standards.

Any sympathy that I had for these employees has vanished. I have not been affected (yet) by the strikes. I expect the logical conclusion will be more outsourcing by BA to a pool of companies. This will undoubtedly see the "worker's" lot worsen as each of these companies will be competing with each other and they will pay fair market wages. Which I suspect for someone cutting up lettuce or hauling bags will be not much. They will have minimum pension entitlements, minimum legal holidays and the bare minimum legal working conditions. If you strike, then BA will drop your company as a supplier and you won't have a job to go back to. This is how it works already in much of the world.

Interestingly in China they are now struggling to find people willing to make shoes at $100 a month in the coastal provinces. Many of the companies are moving inland where people are still willing to work for $50 a month or less. In Hong Kong, the minimum wage for a live-in domestic helper who often do 14 hour days, 6 days a week is about $500 a month. Many of these helpers have degrees but this work is better paid than they can find at home so they travel from the Philippines, China, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to get this work.

The result of these low wages is that anything that can be outsourced to Asia will be and there will be a smaller pool of low-skilled jobs available in the UK. The only growth area is working in old people's homes and this is typically hard work for minimum wage. I would bet money that your average nursing home employee works harder for less money than the average person that went on strike at Heathrow. Undoubtedly some of these workers will end up mopping up urine from floors, chairs and beds and they might wish they had been a bit less hasty in their actions.

tristan727

Totally agree with the Green Amphibian - people in manual work in Asia definitely need unions, for valid reasons. Unions over here, however, have just created a breed of laziness & contempt for commercial enterprise - everyone owes them a living. Last time I ever worked for a council, in their County Hall - the staff were one minute protesting outside in a Strike, complaining of how badly they were treated, then the next day were literally dancing on the office tables for half the day, having a laugh. Being 19 at the time - was quite shocked by my entry into the working world!

Unions were created at a time when there was genuine poverty & hardship here, & helped to create a more equitable society, with standards in the workplace dramatically improved as a result. They should go away now, until such problems ever rise again - as it is, your average homeless tube beggar makes a good living out of it, and does it by choice, such is society now.'I'm soo sorry to interrupt you, but it's my birthday today, and I'm cold & hungry, can I have some cash man?'

These baggage handlers not only get a salary befitting their skills (picking up bags by bending properly, & driving in a golf buggy across a tarmac), but are also heavily subsidised through the various benefits & tax credits they're entitled to, & which they'll be getting, unless their wives happen to be rich. Why on earth should anyone have any sympathy for them, whilst people are starving & being persecuted to death everytime we turn on the telly or read a newspaper?

bluestu

do you have a reliable source for this assertion?*

*newspapers do not count. Maybe ask Shelter. If you do not know what Shelter is, please stop posting bull until you do.