BA

ABSOLUTE POWER 22nd January 2013 “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” Lord Acton - historian and moralist -1887 Though the cabin crew dispute ended two years ago, the magnitude of its impact will likely shape the landscape of our working lives for many years to come. In particular, the decision to use our pilot colleagues (and their willingness to be used), as a primary weapon against cabin crew during the dispute will have ramifications that will live on in many peoples’ memory. Captains were empowered as demi-gods and some took that to the nth degree, waging what they perceived to be a war against supposed cabin crew “militancy”. The problem now is that the war is over, but some don't want to admit it. Of the nearly one hundred sacked and suspended crew cases, the majority involved pilots. Though most those cases have now been resolved through the settlement, a handful still remain outstanding. One poor crewmember, through the unfortunate timing of his case, was not included in the settlement review.  His tribunal is next week.  He was sacked, in essence, for arguing with a Captain down-route in a bar. The Captain concerned forced himself into a conversation uninvited, and became so belligerent that the security staff asked him to leave the bar, and yet it was the cabin crewmember that was sacked. British Airways took their usual pious position that that the Captain was somehow subject to “bullying and harassment”, yet perversely, the crewmember concerned was not. God forbid anybody disagrees or has a different opinion to a Captain, because we no longer have the right to an opinion or to free speech in a bar whilst not even on duty. One of the purposes of pubs and bars for hundreds of years has been to allow people to talk and share opinions! People able to meet, drink, discuss and yes, even argue their points of view? In recent months we have had the following incidents. A captain harangued and humiliated a CSD, reducing her to tears on the T5 shuttle, because he took exception to the uniform approved union luggage tag. Reported to IFCE and Flight Crew Management – No action taken. A Captain offloaded a CSD from the flight because the CSD declined to shake hands. Reported to IFCE and Flight Crew Management – No action taken. A Captain refused to wait for a QRS, insisting the aircraft doors be closed and the crew operate one short (obviously without payment). Reported to IFCE and Flight Crew Management- the response received was that they believe that the captain was within his rights to override crews’ agreements if, in his opinion, there was a need to do so - No action taken. Oh and the best, let’s leave that until last. Most crew will remember the furor that happened when a Singapore and Hong Kong flights were subbed to mixed fleet under work transfer because of a delay situation, (an agreement to prevents this happening again was subsequently reached with IFCE).  What is not as widely known is what happened when that flight reached Hong Kong. During the down route slip it is alleged a First Officer decided to take exception to a legacy crewmember sharing a few words of polite conversation with a mixed fleet colleague whilst both were waiting for the elevator in the Excelsior hotel. It was a perfectly friendly and innocent conversation, yet the First Officer of the flight decided it wasn't and took it upon himself to try and assault and threaten the legacy crewmember, having to be restrained by hotel security staff. Yet this wasn't the end of the situation. Reports then show that it was alleged that the First Officer then forced his way into the lift that the terrified crewmember was using, trying to return to their room. He then chased him down the hotel corridor and punched him repeatedly in the face in an unprovoked and vicious assault on the completely innocent victim. Obviously with our airline’s zero tolerance approach to bullying and harassment and such a clear open and shut case, we can all rest easy knowing that the perpetrator would have been dealt with appropriately and would no longer be in a position to assault any further victims. Err, well no, not quite. After all, the aggressor was flight crew and some have taken the tacit nod of approval to behave like feudal lords literally. He was of course promptly and swiftly dealt with, but not perhaps as you would have expected - he suffered, wait for it, (queue drum roll) a dip in seniority! Incredible, but true. The result was revealed in the same week as IFCE wanted to suspend a CSD with a blemish free record and charge them with “Gross misconduct” and “bringing the airline into dispute” for simply forgetting to declare a sandwich in their cabin bag at US customs. Sad but true.  There cannot have been a more staggering display of dual standards and sheer hypocrisy in the way people employed by British Airways are treated. Oh and the punch line? It appears that the very same First Officer that punched an innocent crewmember in this unprovoked attack has allegedly subsequently assaulted a First Class passenger during a positioning duty upon his return to flying. Everyone involved must be very proud. Amongst our pilot colleagues there are some incredibly decent, professional and genuinely inspiring role models, individuals who are a credit to the uniform and if they are reading this we apologise if you feel unjustly maligned.  That is not our intention, but unfortunately there remains a minority that are simply bullies, abusing their position of power.  Until there is a willingness to address this problem, cabin crew will be far more likely to “bug” a pilot than “hug” one, and the divide that exists will only widen. The shortsightedness of these decisions mean that the ill-feeling and mistrust that was forged during the dispute lives on and makes it that little bit harder to forget and/or forgive, and no amount of contrived courses or hiding behind sham policy will alter that fact. As is the theme in George Orwell’s acclaimed novel, Animal Farm, “all animals are equal but some it appears are more equal than others”. As long as that remains the case, there will never be a relationship of mutual respect; only one of an unhealthy  (for our customers and us) enforced subservience. Crew may smile and say the right things onboard the aircraft but our thoughts remain our own and we all know what they are. They have made their proverbial bed and they can lie in it - and that is what probably rankles the most, because nobody will join them in it anymore! Irish bar at six anyone… Anyone... anyone?