BA strikers to lose travel perks
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at 10:26 by BusinessTraveller.
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carltonParticipantBA clearly said that they would remove this perk for the crew that decided to join the strike movement. They had a choice.
“The joint leader of Unite, Tony Woodley, had told strikers on Monday that he believed the long-established discounts were not just a perk but “custom and practice”.
I have been split in this dispute as I think both parties have their arguments, some more valid than others, but this is utter nonsense.
The BA staff have become accustomed to this over the years, that does not change the fact that it is still a perk and can be withdrawn at anytime.
I am by no means an expert in strike negotiations however they’ve lost the plot. At the end of the day, if BA will fail to drastically reduce their costs and get a grip on the pension deficit, there will simply be no BA as we know it today in a few years time.
I guess the question is, do you up your pay and benefits short term or do you try and secure your job long term?
It’s sad to see such a great brand diminish into nothingness because of its own employees and their absolute lack of understanding the seriousness of the situation.
24 Mar 2010
at 11:15
BusinessTravellerKeymasterHere is Unite’s official press release on the subject – BA has yet to send out a release.
Unite condemns BA’s attack on cabin crew travel
Unite has condemned the move by British Airways to withdraw travel benefits from striking cabin crew – many of whom rely on the travel assistance to get to work following BA’s decision to close its regional bases and require the vast majority of cabin crew to operate out of Heathrow, no matter where they may live.
Unite said: “This is the clearest possible example of BA’s bullying and contemptuous approach to its employees. Cabin crew showed last weekend that they will not be intimidated. Unite will challenge this vindictive move in whatever way seems appropriate.”
24 Mar 2010
at 11:20
flier74ParticipantSo Unite, BA are the bullies now are they? I am not working for BA myself but I have a vast number of friends who work as Cabin Crew for BA. Some of them have decided to go to work last weekend and will do so again next weekend.
The real bullies are those striking Unite members and the Union Reps who verbally attack any staff who chose to go to work out of a personal choice. I had reports of Crew being sworn at in the Car Park, in Terminal 5, and being verbally abused on social networking sites. So who is the bully then here?
All BA Crew knew they would have their staff travel revoked should they go on strike, everyone made their choices, surely not all of them lighthearted but they did. So whatever they chose to do they will now have to face the consequences. End of!24 Mar 2010
at 12:01
markymarkParticipantAt the end of the day, BA is trying everything to intimidate their staff, shouldn’t they try to solve the issue in the first place?
As I understand, the perks (which in fact are a good money making scheme for all airlines as it helps them filling empty seats) are discretionary.
However, it is illegal to punish staff for participating in a legal strike, and by removing staff travel to those who were in the strike, BA is in effect punishing those staff.
(therefore acting illegally)If the company decided to remove staff travel, then they should do so for everybody not just to those who were legally striking.
24 Mar 2010
at 14:36
ichtop1%Participanti’m a layman, i’m not in a union and i dont work for an airline. I’m one of those long suffering travellers who get caught up in it all and ultimately one of those who get affected by whatever goes on……….
To Unite and their members on strike…………join the real world, take a step back and look at what you’re doing to BA and the people you need to have support from….the travelling public, and those who ultimately pay for travel, and your jobs! We’re fed up with you and we’ll travel with someone else as a result. That will cause passenger numbers to fall, reduce the need for flights, reduce the need for crew and reduce the need for jobs! At what point do you win in that.
To BA – Hold your ground. Reduce your costs, make travel cheaper, increase passenger numbers, increase flights, increase jobs when you can.
As for the latest news on perks, well that’s what a perk is…..it’s an extra you get if you’re lucky, or not foolish enough to jeapordise it.
This country is falling apart again…………and i seem to recall it was unions who brought it to it’s knees a few years ago by not understanding one of the basic rules of business, you need to cut costs when you’re losing money…..or go bust!
And it’s just embarrassing to hear union leaders or representatives talk so much rubbish in the media………..seriously, it’s embarrassing!
Or am i wrong to speak out of turn!!!!!!!!????? Probably!
24 Mar 2010
at 16:56
markymarkParticipantWell I think people are right to fight for their rights. Why do they have to lower themselves to other airlines (in terms of pay and conditions), when in fact the others should improve their conditions.
Incidentally, it is said that a BA crew earn double than a Virgin one, what everybody fails to highlight is that Virgin crew get their allowances cash in hand!Do you really think that BA will lower their prices when they can afford to charge a premium for leaving from LHR and they are more convenient in term of routes….well think again. They will just charge the same and will continue reducing the quality of food… on board as they are already doing now.
Bet you in around 3 years time, they will claim they have hit the £1billion profit (remember it was not that long ago that they had a profit of £800 million), and who will get all the benefits, greedy CEO, shareholders but nothing for lower workers.
This world is being run by a bunch of greedy pigs.
If you compare salaries on the continent, the disparity between top managers and lower paid workers is not as high as in the UK or America, why because people fight for their rights.
we are in 2010 and if we let all the big companies let whatever they want to do, we would be living in 1960s style!
Good on them for fighting for their rights.
By the way why aren’t all tube workers, civil servants, train drivers… talked about so much: WELL BECAUSE THEIR COMPANIES DO NOT TELL THE PRESS WHATEVER THEY WANT TO AND MAKE ALL THE DAILY MAIL READERS BELIEVE ANY RUBBISH.
24 Mar 2010
at 17:39
batraveller2ParticipantI have never heard such rubbish as the above statement. Whilst not a fan of Willie Walsh, I think he has handled the situation in an excellent manner and is standing up to Unite. These are tough times and WW is trying to help the airline survive unlike Unite.
As for service, there have been some cutbacks, but New Club World is still an excellent product and on the whole excellent service. If it requires a few cutbacks on the champagne, I do not think this is the end of the world, and is not unique to BA. If anything does go wrong, BA are one of the best at helping you with onward connections / rebooking or providing hotel accommodation even when they strictly may not need to. I am happy to pay a slight premium for knowing that I will not be left stranded.
I have booked Club flights at the start of April and 2 in the summer for holiday to San Francisco and have every confidence in BA.
I think Willie Walsh has handled this excellently of recent, and the union are frustrated that he arranged strong contingency plans, thus limiting the impact of their strike.
24 Mar 2010
at 19:23
NTarrantParticipantMarkymark that has to be the the biggest load of rubbish on this forum. If you want to start a thread about tube drivers then go ahead, but civil servants aren’t travel providers.
I agree with exbatraveller, Willie Walsh is right not to give in to the union. I have every confidence in BA and will continue to support it even if I have another choice. The very good breakfast in Club Europe this morning, with a good cup of tea, served with a smile and a nice greeting is hard to beat.
24 Mar 2010
at 20:28
BRUSHESParticipantTHE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND GROUND AND TERMINAL STAFFING PERSONNEL MAY NOT MAKE ALOT OF MONEY. BUT THE PERKS CAN ADD THOUSANDS OF STERLING/DOLLARS TO THEIR PAY/VALUE WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY INCOME TAX ON SUCH FREE OR VERY VERY DISCOUNTED TIX.. AND, OF COURSE, FAMILY MEMBERS FLY (WITH AIRLINE PERSONNEL) AT SAME LOW RATE.
YEARS AGO, IT WAS NOTHING FOR A TWA FA (STEWARDS/STEWARDESSES THEN) TO FLY TO PARIS FOR A 1 DAY VACATION (FLYING FIRST CLASS OF COURSE) FROM THE U.S. COST PERHAPS $25.00 IN TAXES. OF COURSE, THEIR HOTEL
WAS AT A DISCOUNTED RATE TOO. PEOPLE WANT THEIR CAKE AND TO EAT IT TOO. HOPE WILLIE DOES NOT GIVE IN…. BUT HE WILL.25 Mar 2010
at 10:59
oldboldParticipantAs a long-retired member of BA staff, it’s arguable how valuable staff travel privileges might be to me. I have to buy multiple tickets to cover the possibility of not getting away, and then stand around at the barrier until it’s time to run to the gate. I’m unable to travel in a class other than the lowest, unless I am very lucky. When travelling with my wife, it is unusual to be seated near her.
And the tickets are emphatically not free. In fact, it is often cheaper to fly one of the low-cost carriers on a firm booking.25 Mar 2010
at 12:14
craigwatsonParticipantah, but lets not forget how many BA crew commute from places all over the UK, and even the continent ( in this case, at preferencial tax rates). How many of us can expect our companies to pay for us to commute 100’s of miles from our place of work. not many i’d wager. I expect this will be the biggest pill for the strikers to swallow if this is also included in revocation of staff travel.
25 Mar 2010
at 12:50 -
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