[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

It is a condition of the latest offer made by BA to Cabin Crew that the Union recommends the offer, and that members are ballotted (in the past BASSA has refused to even put the offer to members).

BASSA has today rejected this offer, and thrown its toys out of its pram, deciding to not recommend this offer to its membership:

———————–

BASSA- A STEP TOO FAR- BASSA STATEMENT Nov 9th, 2010

We have now been presented with all the paperwork pertaining to the offer made by BA to end this dispute. We still think the best way forward is to let all members of Amicus and BASSA ultimately decide whether this offer is acceptable or not. For that to happen BA required that the two unions give a “yes” recommendation. Three weeks ago, we were prepared, reluctantly, to go down that road to give you all a vote. Your collective voice will always be louder than that of your committee.

While we would still like to see this offer put to ballot, BASSA are now not prepared to give a “yes” recommendation. We have since seen Apendix II which we were given over the weekend which contain further conditions that make this now a “step too far” in our opinion.

There are some good parts within BA’s offer, in particular their acceptance of binding independent ACAS arbitration, but there are many other clauses which we simply, as a trade union, can not recommend. While all those disciplined on dispute related incidences are at the forefront of our concerns, especially those who have been dismissed, we simply can not be held to ransom. Unite and Tony Woodley have always positioned the fate of the disciplined members as to be their number 1 priority. We respect and thank them for that and hope they understand, in turn, what we mean by a “step too far.”

We still plan to go ahead with the agreed ballot as it is important all crew, who are members of Unite, should still have their say through the democratic process.

———————-

Having been sacked from BA employment, many of the senior reps have nothing to lose (but also nothing to gain) from more disruption.

My feeling is that this is the endgame for BASSA, and these are death throes of an outmanoeuvred and outclassed dinosaur.

No ballot for strike action has been tabled, the deadline for such action prior to Christmas has now passed, and in the rare event of a ballot being tabled and voted for, 100% of British Airways longhaul services will operate, as well as “most” shorthaul flights.

[Bullfrog]

@ VintageKrug

I’ve realised that BASSA stands for British Airways Suicide Service Assistant ..

[skychai]

British Airways fined £90million pounds today.

Who needs a suicidal union Bullfrog? BA’s rosy future lies with incompetent , dishonest management.

[Binman62]

I agree entirely with VK that this is the death throes of a dinosaur and I for one will be glad to see the end of it.
As a shareholder however I am angered and dismayed that once again the profits of the business are being thrown away as the result of activity within the management structure that simply should not have occurred. In total £200 million in fines and a failed prosecution of 4 senior staff. This sum is I believe in excess of the costs of the cabin crew dispute and I simply hope that both the dispute and management shenanigans are finally over.

[flier74]

Well, correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression and this was confirmed by Keith Williams, that the money has been put aside well in the past to cover those fines, so this has no impact on the current profit and situation.
I for one just want this ridiculous situation within BA sorted and resolved.
Maybe BA needs somekind of a “new beginning” and a fresh start, but it is very sad to see that BASSA and some members of staff will try all they can to not let this happen and rather see BA go pieces than seeing how the real world is evolving and changes need to be everywhere, it is not just BA Crew who are being punished or victimised, lets face it. You just need to open a decent newspaper every morning to see that in fact it affects a majority of people in all kind of jobs and livelihihoods. Or am I wrong here?

[Hippocampus]

It will be interesting to see how the upper echelons of Unite respond to this when a) they had negotiated this deal without involving CC89 and BASSA and b) they had made it clear that a better deal was not going to be obtained.

I suspect BA will carry on running its business (which in terms of traffic numbers, route announcements and profitability is motoring along nicely at the moment) whilst the cabin crew branches kick and scream and run around like headless chickens.

binman62 – No-one is going to defend price fixing. Certainly in the case of passenger fuel surcharges but this did not take place on Willie Walsh’s watch. If BA had the kind of calm, cool-headed and determined management it had now 10+ years ago, it would be in a vastly different (and much better) position to where it is today.

[StephenLondon]

So what do we think Mr Walsh’s next move will be? SOSR 90-day notice?

I agree with Hippocampus – BA will continue to run, with more new routes being announced, traffic stats up along with profitability. Hopefully some new service enhancements will come along as well. I can see on-board services improving, now that management are firmly back in control of crew – so we, as customers, will all benefit.

And BASSA will limp into oblivion, to be consigned to a course in a lecture somewhere highlighting the glaring failures made by the reps, resulting in the spectacular failure of their union branch. The crew who blindly followed their leaders to the edge of the cliff will find once they jump from the BA mothership, life will be very, very different.

All this upheaval, drama and inconvenience…what was it all for? The gripes of a few BASSAmentalists who found union work paid better than BA? Tsk tsk. Happy to see a closure to this painful part of BA’s history…

[VintageKrug]

It’s a really sad situation for BASSA, and for many good BA employees who trusted their union implicitly.

There is an absolute need for transparent, democratic, pragmatic and business-minded union leadership particularly in cyclical (often) lower paid industries such as aviation.

Unfortunately, BASSA and in particular its leadership have demonstrated none of these qualities.

I would imagine this action could cause a more formal schism between BASSA and Unite. Who knows how this will pan out?
I don’t really think BA/WW has to do anything right now.

Those crew who would like to accept the offer as tabled (assuming it is not rescinded as BASSA has violated one of its key conditions, by not recommending it to crew) can resign from BASSA and save themselves their monthly sub.

They would then be free to accept this offer when it is formally offered to non-union crew.

Remaining BASSA crew would effectively be out in the cold, remaining on their existing contract without any option for negotiated change – no pay rise, no return of staff travel, little control over rosters etc. and little prospect of promotion.

A dead end job for a dead end union.

If indeed their was a strike then I think BA would have a very justifiable case to invoke 90 Days’ Notice and remove these individuals who so obviously believe they will find better pay and conditions with other employers.

As a passenger, I think that would be for the best as well, and would allow many enthusiastic hardworking individuals currently looking for work an opportunity for employment with one of the world’s best known brands.

[BusinessTraveller]

Our sister website ABTN has a report on the latest situation, with a spokesperson for BA saying:

“Our negotiations have been with Unite. It has already said in a statement that it will ballot its members with the latest offer, which is obviously good news. We have not heard anything different.”

To read the report in full visit:

http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/1014910-ba-expects-unite-ballot-go-ahead

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