From a Travel Magazine

Why BA flight attendants are on strike – by a former BA flight attendant
22 March 2010 at 8:46 am (transport)
GUEST POST: written by a former British Airways flight attendant

As the strike at BA takes effect, what are cabin crew really fighting for?

Having recently hung up my teapot and retired from my role as British airways cabin crew after five years, my heart goes out to my former colleagues battling the British Airways big chiefs and trying to retain just a few of the conditions they originally signed up for. Don’t be goaded into believing the strike is a stand over a few pennies here and there. It’s not. It’s a stand against imposition, loss of earnings and an embarrassingly sub-standard product that still costs the same inflated price. Let me fill you in on what the press hasn’t.

So what’s happening? Firstly, let’s talk basics. A cabin crew’s salary is made up of two parts. A (very) low basic which is boosted by allowances. These allowances are made up of various extra payments and can only be earned when you actually fly. They are accrued based on your fleet i.e. longhaul or shorthaul and also which flights you undertake; some being worth more than others due to length of flight, destination and nights away from base(London Heathrow).

So what’s the problem? In basic terms, the strike is twofold. It’s about BA’s plans for a new fleet that will bring in an hourly rate and massively cut crews salary and secondly, the imposition of changes to cabin crew working conditions without Union negotiation.

BA wants to implement a new mixed fleet at London Heathrow the same as they have at London Gatwick. This will involve all crew flying a mixture of long haul routes and short haul routes.

What’s wrong with that? I hear you say. Well, anyone joining the new fleet will have to sign the new terms and conditions which will be greatly reduced on all levels from the current conditions BA crew have. This new fleet will be earning far less on an hourly rate and will most likely consist of new starters who wish to do it for just a year. This will be far cheaper for the company.

If current crew don’t sign up to the new agreement (and there is NO incentive to do so – would you lose a massive chunk of your salary forever if asked?!), they stand to end up with the lowest-earning trips (and therefore cutting their salaries) or worse still, an empty roster (also cutting their salaries). Neither good.

To give you some idea of monies, on an average month I would take home about £1,750. On the new contract, I will be lucky to take home £1,000. That is a substantial cut to anyone’s earnings and especially people who have forged a career at BA and have families reliant on their income. Least we not forget that unlike many other airlines, the majority of BA cabin crew are long termers who take the job seriously and make a long-term career out of it.

The second point I mentioned is imposition. When the recession hit, all companies were forced to make cutbacks, and BA were no exception. Thousands of cabin crew agreed to part time contracts and over 2,000 crew (including myself) signed up and took voluntary redundancy to save the company money. Cabin crew also agreed to a two-year pay freeze and reduced working conditions (as did pilots although, unlike cabin crew, they have been promised the loss of earnings back at the end of the two years).

However, BA wanted to reduce both areas to a slither and refused any negotiation. Without discussion, they took a crew member off all aircraft, impacting on the level of service crew were able to provide.

For example, reduced levels on long haul flights mean that the CSD (the in-charge crew member who previously dealt with passenger problems, the in-flight entertainment and all aircraft admin) must now work on trolley during the meal service. This is all well and good until the in-flight entertainment breaks or the CSD has to deal with a passenger query and all of a sudden you have an empty trolley!

Coupled with the massively reduced product (i.e. Business class washbags are now request only. No hot towels. Not enough newspapers to go around, etc) the CSD is often away dealing with a multitude of complaints. And that is if he/she isn’t off trying to fix the in-flight entertainment system on nearly every flight.

To summarise, British Airways cabin crew are fighting to retain reasonable working conditions and salaries for themselves, as well as a respectable level of product for the customers.

As one of my former colleagues commented, “We want to work for British Airways, not a higher-class version of Ryanair.”

And that is the essence of it really; this doesn’t just affect those who fly to serve. It affects all of us who fly British Airways .

Crew wish to work for a world-class airline and I am sure you want to fly on one.

If you read this and don’t agree with the crew going on strike, that is fine. Just remember though, next time you take your British Airways seat and receive half the product you expected or a fraction of the service, it’s what you asked for, and you are in no real position to complain.

This guest post was written by a former British Airways flight attendant who wishes to remain anonymous because he/she still has many close friends in the business and does not want to jeopardise their current situation.