[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

British Airways’ cabin crew union is Unite; BASSA (British Airways Stewards & Stewardesses Association) is the local branch of this union and is run by representatives of Cabin Crew.

It has received an estimated £20m in subs from cabin crew over the past decade; no accounts are available.

Duncan Holley, the Branch Secretary of BASSA was sacked by BA for gross misconduct. Unsurprisingly, he claimed this was unfair, and all about Union Busting.

Duncan Holley launched an Employment Tribunal Appeal. He lost.

There was no evidence of “union-busting” presented.

The sacking was upheld by the Employment Tribunal.

The BASSA Branch Secretary’s Employment Tribunal Minutes are now in the public domain. Those BA passengers who have been implored by BASSA to support the actions of the BASSA leadership, and castigate BA Management’s handling of the strike, will find the minutes of the ET of interest:

http://www.mediafire.com/?t9jdr3ydm9pj9pu

I understand that he is now receiving monthly honorarium for his remaining time as Branch Secretary – so in effect works full time for Unite. A “salary” approaching six figures – not a bad deal at all.

Elections for the BS role (which have been delayed for years) must be held in October 2012.

Others in a similar position, egged on by their leader, have not been so lucky and continue to be without work.

Highlights:

—

“When summoned to a meeting with his manager, the claimant refused to attend”

“He said that as Branch Secretary he was afforded the same status as that of a senior BA manager”

“Ms XY contacted him by telephone on 16 Feb while he was on leave. He responded by sending a text message to her complaining that he was being harassed whilst on holiday. The text message read:

“No, I have already spoken to BAHS for 45 minutes last week. BAHS , with your involvement, are now making things much worse! Can’t you idiots appreciate if someone is off sick the last thing they need is to be pestered by people like you.”
—

It is important that this document has a wider audience so that passengers and contributors can see the sort of activities which went on, and judge for themselves whether BASSA’s leadership (and I keep BASSA’s leadership distinct from the majority of BA cabin crew) acted competently.

[Bucksnet]

What was Holley’s job at BA?

[Hippocampus]

He was a CSD on EuroFleet.

It is worth noting that this by no means the only case BA has won at the Employment Tribunal, thus providing clear evidence that the sackings were justified and the processes were fair.

[MartynSinclair]

How does any organization avoid accounting for £20 million worth of income, taxable or exempt, to HMRC?

[Hippocampus]

“He said ‘When BA introduce something BASSA don’t like we just ignore it’.”

This is the truth about BASSA.

And no mention of Lieden Trials and other nonsense dreamt up to create a narrative of a vast conspiracy against BASSA.

[VintageKrug]

Martyn, the Unite accounts do exist, so that’s how the HMRC accounting issue is addressed. But they’re not of sufficient detail that you could discern the amount taken in subs by BASSA, or more importantly where the money went.

But £2m per annum is a lot of dosh!

BASSA itself is legally required to show its local branch accounts to members; to my knowledge this has never happened. Here is the relevant legislation:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/52/part/I/chapter/III/crossheading/accounting-records

A mysterious limited liability company, BASSA Ltd., was also recently set up at an address curiously close to a certain BS’s home:

BASSA LIMITED
130 BOURNEMOUTH ROAD
CHANDLERS FORD EASTLEIGH
EASTLEIGH
HANTS
ENGLAND
SO53 3AL

Company No. 07492282

It may have been established in connection with limiting the financial impact on Unite and Union Officers of any lawsuits which may have been undertaken to recoup damages suffered as a consequence of strike action, legal or otherwise.

Conveniently, accounts for BASSA Ltd. are not due to be published – yes you guessed it – until October 2012. Just after the BASSA elections. Handy, that.

[Author]

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