In general I like trade unions. I like the idea that we should improve working conditions. I like the idea of a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. A pivotal role for the unions is to ensure good communications between the workers and the management. In an ideal world we don't need unions. We would have perfect communication, fair wages and excellent working conditions without asking for them. Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world.
If there is a dispute then the management will blame the unions for excessive demands. Unions will blame management for unjustified impositions. Disputes may lead to industrial action and in extreme cases this would mean strike action. Nobody likes strikes because employees lose pay and ultimately jobs are at stake. This is just what is happening at BA.
The BA management blame the union and are continuing "to try to prevent this strike taking place". On the other hand the Unite union blame management for imposing change and causing the breakdown in negotiations to prevent a strike. Who do you believe? I have heard specific allegations made against management. I have not heard the allegations refuted. I have only heard unsupported claims from management. So why has Gordon Brown called strike action "unjustified and deplorable"?
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The strike is unjustified because as far as I can see the employees in dispute with BA are rather well-paid in comparison to others in their field and - more importantly - BA has a business model which no longer works - and which even when/if we get out of this recession will never be what it was before - the business community will be galvanised into using other methods of working e.g. video conferencing instead of flying long distances for a meeting - so BA is unlikely to be able to charge them ridiculous amounts for unnecessary service.
ReplyDeleteThe BA cabin crew should get real and decide whether they want to hang on to jobs at inferior terms and conditions to those they have enjoyed hitherto or whether they want jobs with BA at all.
Thanks for putting forward the views of management. It is one of the roles of the unions to have well-paid members. If management wish to impose change rather than work with the union then they have to explain this to their employees. They have failed to do so. Regardless of whether jobs remain or jobs go the employees have decided enough is enough. It seems they have support all over the world except in one small area in which they pay a huge amount of money.
ReplyDelete"Thanks for putting forward the views of management."
ReplyDeleteNo - it is good old-fashioned reality
"Thanks for putting forward the views of management."
ReplyDeleteNo - it is good old-fashioned reality
As a comment to my blog on the 12th February I thought you wrote "This forum is highly deceptive. I wont be coming here again".
ReplyDelete"As a comment to my blog on the 12th February I thought you wrote "This forum is highly deceptive. I wont be coming here again"."
ReplyDeleteNot me mate