Tuesday 15 December 2009

On the twelfth day of Christmas Strikes

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me,
Twelve Strikers Picketing,
Eleven customers waiting,
Ten lords aren’t flying,
Nine ladies not on dancing holidays,
Eight maids not going home for Christmas,
Seven continents without BA,
Six geese are the only ones flying,
Five golden wings,
Forty two Thousand BA workers striking,
Three French airlines laughing,
Two hundred and ninety two loss,
And a partridge in a Unite union!

Unite are planning twelfth days of strikes. I understand that its because BA are planning a cabin crew reduction which will result in contractual changes, extended working hours and reduced wages for new starters.

Problem is British Airways are fighting for their survival. After years of making profits they are now making a loss of £292m for the first part of the financial year.

It also appears that the union question of simply asking for a strike but not specifying any options on the length of a strike could lead to legal action by British Airways.

What is Unite thinking off here? I’m no fan of low cost carriers myself, as I don’t like being treated like cattle but BA does need to make cuts to survive. How on earth is 12 days of strikes during Christmas a good idea? Are they not concerned that their members may not have a company to work for in the future?

Did someone in the Unite offices think that choosing twelfth days was somehow Christmassy?
If this strike black mail does go ahead then I will feel very sorry for all those planned Christmas get a ways. I will also feel sorry for the possible future loss of our national carrier. Well-done Unite judging from what I have heard on BBC Five Live this morning, I think you have managed to get the British public to unite against you.

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