Fear and loathing at British AirwaysWe BA workers caught up in the middle of the dispute are a weary and embittered army who just wants peace
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BA Manager guardian.co.uk, Monday 28 June 2010 10.00 BST Article history
'As the backlog of work grows, so does the disillusion we feel for our leadership team and Willie Walsh.' Photograph: Stephen Simpson/Rex Features
Anyone walking into the reception area of Waterside (British Airways's head office at Heathrow) cannot help but notice the poster that hangs in front of the security barriers; a poster that implores staff to "Back BA". The building is awash with such posters: hanging in front of the "pavement cafe" (a popular meeting place for staff) is a banner spanning the width of the "street", the message is the same: "Back BA."
Look closely at the staff and you will see that their BA identity passes swing proudly from lanyards that declare "I am backing BA". The wall where staff were invited to post their views of the dispute and the cabin crew may have long since been removed, but its presence looms large.
The views of many within BA, so clearly depicted on BA's "wall of shame", are that the cabin crew are a cosseted, precious and overpaid workforce. When faced with such a damning condemnation of a group of individuals, it is not difficult to see why BA was so confident in its assumption that its staff could be persuaded to "back BA" and to fly as voluntary cabin crew.
Couple this with the widely held belief that Bassa (the cabin crew branch of Unite) is a group of unyielding and intransigent militants who have held a gun to BA's head for more years than anyone cares to remember, and it is not difficult to see why so many staff are happy to back BA.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of staff have been released from their day jobs to train as cabin crew, and continue to be released as we brace ourselves for the next round of strikes that could happen towards the end of the summer. But the day job doesn't go away – the emails keep coming, our people still need to be managed, there are disciplinary and grievances hearings that we need to hear, attendance management issues that have to be addressed. As the backlog of work grows, so does the disillusion we feel for our leadership team, board of directors, chairman and CEO, Willie Walsh.
Scratch below the surface and you will find that, while many proclaim to back BA, the reality is that many managers and staff of all levels are growing increasingly resentful of senior management and the chief executive. Anyone who has attended his management briefings cannot help but liken the situation to a leader who is losing the war but will never surrender. We are a weary and embittered army who just wants peace.
To question the direction that Walsh is taking this company is seen as heresy, so everyone continues on, worn down by a dispute that is the most acrimonious in BA's history; a dispute that an increasing number of managers believe should have been settled months ago.
We all keep our counsel, choosing to voice our concerns to only our most trusted colleagues, believing that this dispute is not just about cost savings but rather the destruction of Bassa and its mother union, Unite. Like the cabin crew, those of us who do not condone this management style are fearful of our positions within the company
We attend the briefings held by Walsh in the Waterside theatre, we read the propaganda that is sent to us daily and we ask ourselves "why didn't I have the foresight to take the voluntary severance when it was offered".
Those managers who have not chosen to volunteer as cabin crew find themselves under-resourced, overworked and despairing of a dispute that has become BA's primary focus. To voice concern is inconceivable; those who have dared speak out are viewed with suspicion and colleagues are quick to distance themselves from them, fearful of being tainted by association. The culture of fear is all-pervading; staff are suspicious of their co-workers, of those they report into, and of those that they once thought of as friends.
What is most frightening is the ignorance within the management team as to what actually lies behind this dispute. As a manager who can count their years of service with BA in decades rather than years, who has witnessed numerous disputes within BA, believe me when I say that the ramifications of this dispute will be felt for years, even decades into the future.
BA will struggle to weather the fallout from this bitter dispute. Our brand, our reputation and our integrity as an employer have all been damaged – indeed continue to be damaged – as this dispute rolls on with no sign of a resolution or closure. The road ahead will be fraught with challenges – challenges that we will all have to deal with. It will be an uphill struggle and it will not be easy.
Those BA staff who have chosen to volunteer as cabin crew have unwittingly prolonged this dispute and, in all probability, hastened their own demise. Their actions have allowed BA to keep flying rather than to reach a negotiated settlement.
As Unite prepares for another ballot and, in all probability, more industrial action, many managers are trawling through employment websites, desperate to find anything that will enable them to leave the bedlam that is now BA.
For anyone who really wants to understand what it is like to work for the world's favourite airline, I would suggest reading George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
I just wonder why the posters in Waterside don't read "war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength". Take care, BA employees and BA shareholders, the end is just the beginning.
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Standby for flights
being on ten days of standby, three days of 2 hr call out and then days of 24 hours it is very difficult to organise your life from silly things like hair appointments and hospital visits.
Day one i started at 1500 until 2300, i had my shower and uniform was all ready to throw on and dash out the door by 1400 but i was not used and had to go through it all again from 1100-1900 the next day, guess what...not used again.
Day three was more complicated it was 0700-1500, now, do i get up at 0600 and have a shower so ready to dash out or do i stay in bed and hope the phone does not ring too early...yep, i got it wrong...0710 ring ring ring ring......" hello it is the standby desk, we have a trip for you, checking in 0950 for Lagos Nigeria" I found myself turning on the shower and shaving at the same time, sorting out my uniform and still using the electric shaver.
This was the trip
FR 02 JUL REPORT AT 0950 LOCAL TIME LON
TRIP LENGTH 3 DAYS
1129 BA075 LHR LOS 1844 74D 1024
SA 03 JUL 2200 BA074 LOS LHR 0425 74D 810
CLEAR TIME (SU 04 JUL) 0610 LOCAL TIME LON
------------------- TOTAL DUTY HOURS 1834
It is good for allowances, the hotel is the Sheraton but not the 5* we are used too in Europe, within ten minutes of being in my room i had four mosquito bites on my left arm.
The flight was 5hrs 50 which in longhaukl terms in=s one of our shortest only beaten by Cairo.
The duty free sales are crazy, i took £1934.00 on my own, a lady in First class spending £939 on high value watches and other goods.
Internet here in my room is £20 per day so really expensive but i am living on packets of raw carrot and cucumber as well as golden vegetable powdered cup-a-soups.
Pleased i did not forget my Diabetes medication otherwise i would have been up that creak without the paddle.
Only two days off when i get home and hope they fill in my roster with a Los Angeles so i can visit my friends.
Day one i started at 1500 until 2300, i had my shower and uniform was all ready to throw on and dash out the door by 1400 but i was not used and had to go through it all again from 1100-1900 the next day, guess what...not used again.
Day three was more complicated it was 0700-1500, now, do i get up at 0600 and have a shower so ready to dash out or do i stay in bed and hope the phone does not ring too early...yep, i got it wrong...0710 ring ring ring ring......" hello it is the standby desk, we have a trip for you, checking in 0950 for Lagos Nigeria" I found myself turning on the shower and shaving at the same time, sorting out my uniform and still using the electric shaver.
This was the trip
FR 02 JUL REPORT AT 0950 LOCAL TIME LON
TRIP LENGTH 3 DAYS
1129 BA075 LHR LOS 1844 74D 1024
SA 03 JUL 2200 BA074 LOS LHR 0425 74D 810
CLEAR TIME (SU 04 JUL) 0610 LOCAL TIME LON
------------------- TOTAL DUTY HOURS 1834
It is good for allowances, the hotel is the Sheraton but not the 5* we are used too in Europe, within ten minutes of being in my room i had four mosquito bites on my left arm.
The flight was 5hrs 50 which in longhaukl terms in=s one of our shortest only beaten by Cairo.
The duty free sales are crazy, i took £1934.00 on my own, a lady in First class spending £939 on high value watches and other goods.
Internet here in my room is £20 per day so really expensive but i am living on packets of raw carrot and cucumber as well as golden vegetable powdered cup-a-soups.
Pleased i did not forget my Diabetes medication otherwise i would have been up that creak without the paddle.
Only two days off when i get home and hope they fill in my roster with a Los Angeles so i can visit my friends.
Monday, 28 June 2010
RIP Joy Cummins
I would like to say a personal goodbye to my old Caledonian colleague Joy Cummins who passed away last week after a battle with cancer.
I found out today and was deeply shocked, she was around my age, born in Merseyside and such a bundle of fun, she cheered up those nasty night flights and longhaul flights,and although liked a laugh on the aircraft she could be a bit of a loner downroute, i remember her not sunbathing with the crew but sneaking off to some secluded beach so she could be alone.
She was a smoker so hope that was not her downfall.
God Bless you Joy and RIP from your Extended Caledonian family
I found out today and was deeply shocked, she was around my age, born in Merseyside and such a bundle of fun, she cheered up those nasty night flights and longhaul flights,and although liked a laugh on the aircraft she could be a bit of a loner downroute, i remember her not sunbathing with the crew but sneaking off to some secluded beach so she could be alone.
She was a smoker so hope that was not her downfall.
God Bless you Joy and RIP from your Extended Caledonian family
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Strike Update 27-06-2010
UNITE NEWS RELEASE
>
> For immediate issue, Sunday, June 27th, 2010
>
> New offer from British Airways could postpone cabin crew strike ballot
>
> Unite the union confirmed today (Sunday) that the new offer to British
> Airways cabin crew could lead to the postponement of the new industrial
> action ballot which was set to begin on Tuesday, June 29th.
>
> Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley, said: "As a consequence of the
> company's last and final offer the union and its representatives will have
> no choice but to delay our vote in order to allow our members to consult
> on the offer.
>
> "The company has made it clear that the offer on the table will be removed
> if the strike ballot starts on Tuesday.
>
> "It would be therefore be inexplicable if we did not put this offer to our
> members, and I expect this course of action will be confirmed by our cabin
> crew representatives when they meet tomorrow."
>
> However, Unite has warned that it is not in a position to recommend the BA
> proposal to members because it does not fully reinstate staff travel
> arrangements stripped from crew who took lawful industrial strike action
> in March and May.
>
> Tony Woodley added: "The fact that staff travel arrangements have not been
> restored to thousands of crew prevents this offer from BA being the
> breakthrough everyone seeks.
>
> "Failure by BA to restore travel in full means the possibility of a
> recommendation nil and makes acceptance of the offer uncertain."
>
> Tony Woodley ended: "This dispute could have been settled months ago. A
> company cannot expect to attempt to beat its employees into submission and
> still function normally - it has to win hearts and minds if it is to
> progress. By choosing conflict over consensus, BA has lost tens of
> millions of pounds and one and half million BA passengers have deserted
> the airline for other carriers.
>
> "We hope that postponement of the strike ballot will give them time to
> reflect on what more they need to do to restore peace and stability to
> this company."
>
> Unite said the new proposal contains protections for existing members from
> the new fleet inferior contracts BA is introducing and will provide cabin
> crew a minimum allowance payment, an improvement to the flat fee that had
> been offered before. Unite is also seeking an independent review of the
> cases of members suspended and sacked during the dispute.
>
> The consultative ballot on BA's new proposal could begin this week.
>
>
> For immediate issue, Sunday, June 27th, 2010
>
> New offer from British Airways could postpone cabin crew strike ballot
>
> Unite the union confirmed today (Sunday) that the new offer to British
> Airways cabin crew could lead to the postponement of the new industrial
> action ballot which was set to begin on Tuesday, June 29th.
>
> Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley, said: "As a consequence of the
> company's last and final offer the union and its representatives will have
> no choice but to delay our vote in order to allow our members to consult
> on the offer.
>
> "The company has made it clear that the offer on the table will be removed
> if the strike ballot starts on Tuesday.
>
> "It would be therefore be inexplicable if we did not put this offer to our
> members, and I expect this course of action will be confirmed by our cabin
> crew representatives when they meet tomorrow."
>
> However, Unite has warned that it is not in a position to recommend the BA
> proposal to members because it does not fully reinstate staff travel
> arrangements stripped from crew who took lawful industrial strike action
> in March and May.
>
> Tony Woodley added: "The fact that staff travel arrangements have not been
> restored to thousands of crew prevents this offer from BA being the
> breakthrough everyone seeks.
>
> "Failure by BA to restore travel in full means the possibility of a
> recommendation nil and makes acceptance of the offer uncertain."
>
> Tony Woodley ended: "This dispute could have been settled months ago. A
> company cannot expect to attempt to beat its employees into submission and
> still function normally - it has to win hearts and minds if it is to
> progress. By choosing conflict over consensus, BA has lost tens of
> millions of pounds and one and half million BA passengers have deserted
> the airline for other carriers.
>
> "We hope that postponement of the strike ballot will give them time to
> reflect on what more they need to do to restore peace and stability to
> this company."
>
> Unite said the new proposal contains protections for existing members from
> the new fleet inferior contracts BA is introducing and will provide cabin
> crew a minimum allowance payment, an improvement to the flat fee that had
> been offered before. Unite is also seeking an independent review of the
> cases of members suspended and sacked during the dispute.
>
> The consultative ballot on BA's new proposal could begin this week.
>
Friendless
I really do not know how to explain this, some of us grow up surrounded by friends, they go through life together, becoming so close that they are like family.
What is that like?
I have work colleagues that turn into friends for 3-9 days then disappear, i have friends who i thought were friends but never really were, and school friends who i say hello too once in a decade and then lose contact.
SO basically i have non, and have never had any real best friends, this is why today, as England play Germany and friends get together for BBQ's and parties to watch the football that i find myself alone at home, sitting here all by myself, no one calls, no one texts me, no one invites me anywhere.
I realise now what loneliness really is, i have managed it for years now but sometimes we all need a friend, sometimes we do not want to share everything with our parents as they want a peaceful life in older age so when lonely we bottle things up,this adds to health issues and depression.
It is hot today, 88 degrees the neighbours either side of me are all gathered to watch the football, i am wedged between the houses alone, maybe i am not nice to be with, maybe people do not want me around at their functions and parties.
I wish i was on a cruise now, on my own, sitting on my balcony with a book, i would take room service for all meals, i am paranoid that if people do not want to be around me in real life why would they want too on a cruise so i would isolate myself as i would not want to ruin anyones holiday, call me paranoid but this is how i think it is!
I still get those pains in my chest, usually left hand side, still have no feeling in half of my left hand so it is easy to test my blood sugar in my finger as i can usually not feel the needle going in.
Well....good look England, we need it playing the Germans but i am sure we can win and get through to the final 8 teams!
I should have bought a Vuvuzella in South Africa last week!
What is that like?
I have work colleagues that turn into friends for 3-9 days then disappear, i have friends who i thought were friends but never really were, and school friends who i say hello too once in a decade and then lose contact.
SO basically i have non, and have never had any real best friends, this is why today, as England play Germany and friends get together for BBQ's and parties to watch the football that i find myself alone at home, sitting here all by myself, no one calls, no one texts me, no one invites me anywhere.
I realise now what loneliness really is, i have managed it for years now but sometimes we all need a friend, sometimes we do not want to share everything with our parents as they want a peaceful life in older age so when lonely we bottle things up,this adds to health issues and depression.
It is hot today, 88 degrees the neighbours either side of me are all gathered to watch the football, i am wedged between the houses alone, maybe i am not nice to be with, maybe people do not want me around at their functions and parties.
I wish i was on a cruise now, on my own, sitting on my balcony with a book, i would take room service for all meals, i am paranoid that if people do not want to be around me in real life why would they want too on a cruise so i would isolate myself as i would not want to ruin anyones holiday, call me paranoid but this is how i think it is!
I still get those pains in my chest, usually left hand side, still have no feeling in half of my left hand so it is easy to test my blood sugar in my finger as i can usually not feel the needle going in.
Well....good look England, we need it playing the Germans but i am sure we can win and get through to the final 8 teams!
I should have bought a Vuvuzella in South Africa last week!
Friday, 25 June 2010
Deal or No Deal???
After 18 months of talks, 22 days of strikes, £150 million in lost revenue and a summer of discontent and cancellations on top of more strikes, this is what we have been offered by BA.
BA makes new offer to Unite
British Airways has made a new offer to Unite today in a fresh attempt to end the current dispute.
The offer includes two changes that are intended to address cabin crew concerns about their future earnings:
a new top-up payment is being offered to guarantee that existing crew will not lose out on route allowances when newly-recruited crew begin flying in the autumn;
a proposal to increase staffing levels on some flights, funded by a reduction in crew allowances, has been withdrawn.
The offer also includes two years of guaranteed rises in basic salary from February 2011 in addition to annual increment pay increases.
The new top-up payment means all crew will receive a guaranteed minimum amount of variable pay, irrespective of the routes they fly.
Crew who are not members of Unite are being invited to accept the offer on an individual basis. Members of Unite who want to accept the offer are being urged to express their views to the union.
Bill Francis, British Airways’ head of cabin crew, said: “We have changed our offer in line with feedback we have received from crew and we genuinely believe that it can end this dispute – which is what the vast majority of crew and our customers want.”
The new proposal continues to provide existing crew with assurances about their future. These include:
A firm commitment that crew can keep their current pay and conditions
An assurance that promotions and part time contracts within their current fleet will be on existing terms and conditions
An assurance that Heathrow crew can transfer between Worldwide and Euro Fleet on current terms and conditions
A fair share of routes and access to new aircraft across all fleets
A commitment to look for opportunities for growth at Gatwick.
BA makes new offer to Unite
British Airways has made a new offer to Unite today in a fresh attempt to end the current dispute.
The offer includes two changes that are intended to address cabin crew concerns about their future earnings:
a new top-up payment is being offered to guarantee that existing crew will not lose out on route allowances when newly-recruited crew begin flying in the autumn;
a proposal to increase staffing levels on some flights, funded by a reduction in crew allowances, has been withdrawn.
The offer also includes two years of guaranteed rises in basic salary from February 2011 in addition to annual increment pay increases.
The new top-up payment means all crew will receive a guaranteed minimum amount of variable pay, irrespective of the routes they fly.
Crew who are not members of Unite are being invited to accept the offer on an individual basis. Members of Unite who want to accept the offer are being urged to express their views to the union.
Bill Francis, British Airways’ head of cabin crew, said: “We have changed our offer in line with feedback we have received from crew and we genuinely believe that it can end this dispute – which is what the vast majority of crew and our customers want.”
The new proposal continues to provide existing crew with assurances about their future. These include:
A firm commitment that crew can keep their current pay and conditions
An assurance that promotions and part time contracts within their current fleet will be on existing terms and conditions
An assurance that Heathrow crew can transfer between Worldwide and Euro Fleet on current terms and conditions
A fair share of routes and access to new aircraft across all fleets
A commitment to look for opportunities for growth at Gatwick.
Friday, 18 June 2010
The hurt in my heart
As i use this blog as a diary type offload it always seems to be the people who really need to know how i am feeling will never find out.
Here i am in Johannesburg, the hotel overlooks the runway as the worldcup football has filled all the other hotels, it is nice but basic, noisy in many ways, hotel staff hoovering outside, housemaids slamming doors and having conversations in the corridors, planes taking off and people blowing those annoying horns associated with the football, not the best environment for a resting jetlagged crew member already on the edge.
My life is revolves around myself, not in a selfish way, just my own company, i have to sort out my own problems, deal with things and then get on with life, i have no one to share problems with and this is the main cause of the illnesses i am suffering.
I still have moments of bursting into tears, thinking of losing loved family and pets, i get angry that i have waited until so late to become close to my cousins etc as one is 70 and wish i had not let so many years slip by.
My job is difficult, strike atmospheres are still around, i am even working in the same cabin as a colleague, he has yet to say hello to me yet never mind have a conversation with me, now in Johannesburg so you can imagine how uncomfortable that was, he is straight and there are 11 guys on the crew so maybe he is pissed off he will not have his pick of the ladies to keep him company, he is black also so no one wants to address it as he will probably turn it into a "race" issue.
I will add pictures of the odd lay out of a hotel room when i get back as cannot download onto this small netbook, no hard drive and no bluetooth, but the bath and shower are in the bedroom, only the toilet is seperate, it will be come self explanatory in the photographs once you see them.
Well i feel a little better now just typing this, i have no idea where my future lies, where i will live, what job will i do, i have always dreamed of living on an uninhabited island but then i suppose i would have to be self sufficient and that sounds like bloody hard work unless Tesco drop in shopping via parachute and airplane.
I am drawn to Canada, Switzerland, South of france, also love Boston and the New England coastline but i suppose not being an American i would be unable to be a resident.
Maybe it will be a good move, could be sooner could be later only time will tell, what i do know is that there is nothing worth staying in the UK for, i will give the newly elected conservative government and chance first and see what happens but the cut backs to cover the trillions of pounds of debt the UK is in can only come from the people so this will affect us all!!
Here i am in Johannesburg, the hotel overlooks the runway as the worldcup football has filled all the other hotels, it is nice but basic, noisy in many ways, hotel staff hoovering outside, housemaids slamming doors and having conversations in the corridors, planes taking off and people blowing those annoying horns associated with the football, not the best environment for a resting jetlagged crew member already on the edge.
My life is revolves around myself, not in a selfish way, just my own company, i have to sort out my own problems, deal with things and then get on with life, i have no one to share problems with and this is the main cause of the illnesses i am suffering.
I still have moments of bursting into tears, thinking of losing loved family and pets, i get angry that i have waited until so late to become close to my cousins etc as one is 70 and wish i had not let so many years slip by.
My job is difficult, strike atmospheres are still around, i am even working in the same cabin as a colleague, he has yet to say hello to me yet never mind have a conversation with me, now in Johannesburg so you can imagine how uncomfortable that was, he is straight and there are 11 guys on the crew so maybe he is pissed off he will not have his pick of the ladies to keep him company, he is black also so no one wants to address it as he will probably turn it into a "race" issue.
I will add pictures of the odd lay out of a hotel room when i get back as cannot download onto this small netbook, no hard drive and no bluetooth, but the bath and shower are in the bedroom, only the toilet is seperate, it will be come self explanatory in the photographs once you see them.
Well i feel a little better now just typing this, i have no idea where my future lies, where i will live, what job will i do, i have always dreamed of living on an uninhabited island but then i suppose i would have to be self sufficient and that sounds like bloody hard work unless Tesco drop in shopping via parachute and airplane.
I am drawn to Canada, Switzerland, South of france, also love Boston and the New England coastline but i suppose not being an American i would be unable to be a resident.
Maybe it will be a good move, could be sooner could be later only time will tell, what i do know is that there is nothing worth staying in the UK for, i will give the newly elected conservative government and chance first and see what happens but the cut backs to cover the trillions of pounds of debt the UK is in can only come from the people so this will affect us all!!
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