V-Flyer

Lets hope it all gets settled soon

Virgin Atlantic pilots are to be balloted for their first strike after year-long pay talks broke down.

Sad news, but from conversations I've had not surprising. VS has not only cut onboard amenities, but has been holding back on crew pay and there seems to be a lot of stress at the moment because VS hasn't recruited fast enough as we move out of recession.

Tonty you will have opened a can of worms now....last time, before you found us I think, the 'strike' thread ran to a lot of pages and got very heated/political at times!

Is a very sad state of affairs anyway. I saw this as breaking news on Flightglobal today. Talk of no pay rise since 2008 etc (yes I know a lot of us are in the same boat and dont have the threat of strike action etc) all very sad.

Hopefully, won't come to loss of services but when would a strike take place?
4 weeks from 24th of May takes us to about 20th of June - my guess would be the start of July - ISTBC

Oh dear, timings great
BA kiss and make up,
VS "downgrade" FC for a vast number of people,

And now potential strikes......

This is not good news....

I currently have 4 future return flights (8 legs) booked with VS; what are my chances of getting away scot free without some disruption if they do strike I wonder.

And, the timing is not coincidence given that BA are all sorted I think. The pilots and their union will have timed this deliberately in terms fo the latest press coverage.

And, given everything else that's going on, some of us affected/disgruntled more than others, this is really very bad timing for the airline.

Let's wait and see.....I suspect it will get settled, the damage could be sizable otherwise.

I'm all for strike action when its used as a last resort and has been the result of a democratic union ballot but not sure how I feel about this one.I think some people often see strike action as a sign of overinflated employee influence without realising that strikes usually occur in desperation at the little power employees actually have. Don't know much about the situation with Virgin pilots but I'm guessing their wages are pretty comfortable in the grand scheme of things so unless they are about to strike on the grounds of overwork or safety I'd be a bit cynical...not against it just a bit annoyed.I could hardly be for strike action as a whole then say I'm against it just because it affects me could I?

As Willd pointed out, these threads do tend to get heated at times, so please try and stay on topic and be respectful.

As usual VS flight ops are months behind the curve, so yes there is a shortage, the pilots know this, they also know that they are in a rather unique position, VS only fly "heavies" so the pilots rack up a lot of hours, there are a number of airlines that will grab them quickly, which in this messed up business is rare.

It would be nice to see VS be proactive on this.

It might be useful to talk about what happens when your flight is affected by any strikes. Lucky me I have never been affected by strikes. I have some early July VS flights which I'm worried about now. How soon do you find out whether you are affected? Once the ballot is decided are the strikes usually immediate giving no time for anyone to make alternative arrangements? I'm on a Z fare and FC Au but I don't suppose this guarantees any preferential treatment with respect to re-booking or transfers? I'll miss connections with (ironically) BA if my flights are postponed. I might try to rebook to an earlier flight if I'm more likely to avoid trouble. Or maybe I'm getting overanxious!

Anyway, if anyone has experience of these things I'm all ears!

worc0670 wrote:It might be useful to talk about what happens when your flight is affected by any strikes. Lucky me I have never been affected by strikes. I have some early July VS flights which I'm worried about now. How soon do you find out whether you are affected? Once the ballot is decided are the strikes usually immediate giving no time for anyone to make alternative arrangements? I'm on a Z fare and FC Au but I don't suppose this guarantees any preferential treatment with respect to re-booking or transfers? I'll miss connections with (ironically) BA if my flights are postponed. I might try to rebook to an earlier flight if I'm more likely to avoid trouble. Or maybe I'm getting overanxious!

Anyway, if anyone has experience of these things I'm all ears!

Isn't there a period after the ballot when they have to give strike notice of about 3 weeks or is that in my beloved country? Like you I have connections but mine are to the VS flight so unless VS can negotiate a change with my incoming flight I'm going to be stymied. However I refuse to be worried at this stage as more often than not these things get resolved.

I may have answered my own question. I found this on travelmole.com

"The result of the ballot will be announced on June 21 and, if pilots give the go-ahead, the first strikes could take place seven days later."

If they vote to strike I guess I have 12 days to sort out an alternative. Hooray. I hope VS realise how damaging it is to let things get this far. Its one reason I have avoided BA whenever I can.

Thanks honeylamb, ok, perhaps there's no point worrying until we find out whats happening.

I looked up what strike notice is legally required and it is only 7 days. I guess this is why the snippet I found on travelmole says 'could' but this is a minimum so it could just as well be longer.

worc0670 wrote:I looked up what strike notice is legally required and it is only 7 days. I guess this is why the snippet I found on travelmole says 'could' but this is a minimum so it could just as well be longer.

Indeed that is generally the case. The purpose of a strike ballot is not actually to go on strike (unless absolutly necessary - afterall it hits the workers in their pay packet as much as the company in lost revenue from cancelled flights) but to put pressure on the management to up the offer or make some other concessions such as on hours, rest periods or annual leave entitlement.

I really hope they don't strike! I hope they can sort it out without disruptions in flights because I fly July 27th and I am really hoping they sort it out! Flying with virgin isn't cheap and it's took me all year to save for the trip to Mco! Last year was the volcanic ash! And now the strike may take place! The lucks deffinately not on my side

worc0670 wrote:"The result of the ballot will be announced on June 21 and, if pilots give the go-ahead, the first strikes could take place seven days later."

Works for me because it means I am going to get to the US but might get stuck there

W.

PilotWolf wrote:

worc0670 wrote:"The result of the ballot will be announced on June 21 and, if pilots give the go-ahead, the first strikes could take place seven days later."

Works for me because it means I am going to get to the US but might get stuck there

W.

I'd be checking where you stand in terms of insurance clauses etc, for strike action, before getting too excited....
Even IF VS offer some restbite for stranded pax, it might not be what you expect....
Is hoped it doesn't come to this as it would be a PR disaster...
NH

I still think the timing is no coincidence given the BA resolution etc...

My bet is that VS will sort this out (like last time) without strikes actually taking place - or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

VS will not want this all over the press at the moment either - BA resolved, VS loads increasing rapidly (quicker than expected post recession) etc etc...

No, I would bet big this will get quietly resolved before any threat of strikes...

northernhenry wrote:

PilotWolf wrote:

worc0670 wrote:"The result of the ballot will be announced on June 21 and, if pilots give the go-ahead, the first strikes could take place seven days later."

Works for me because it means I am going to get to the US but might get stuck there

W.

I'd be checking where you stand in terms of insurance clauses etc, for strike action, before getting too excited....
Even IF VS offer some restbite for stranded pax, it might not be what you expect....
Is hoped it doesn't come to this as it would be a PR disaster...
NH

Doesn't matter to me.

Have somewhere to 'stay' and someone to stay with (!) indefinitely, insurance not relevant either.

So if Virgin want to leave me out there longer that's good with me - especially if they decide that they will offer compensation too

W.

The strike ballot made the Times this morning (hidden behind their paywall online) - saying the first strike could be beginning of July, and that a vote in favour is all but a certainty. But also with SRB oozing confidence that it will be resolved.

Just realized I need to be in the US then ii) . Well, have company Amex, will travel!

slinky09 wrote:The strike ballot made the Times this morning (hidden behind their paywall online) - saying the first strike could be beginning of July, and that a vote in favour is all but a certainty. But also with SRB oozing confidence that it will be resolved.

Just realized I need to be in the US then ii) . Well, have company Amex, will travel!

So long as it's not July 1

My understanding is that insurance won't pay out if you bought your ticket AFTER the dates of any strikes are announced (not merely the annoncement of a ballot) because in that case possibe disrupption is 'forseen' and you bought your ticket in the knowledge that disrupption might takes place.

Reminds me of the people a couple of years ago who tried to buy flood insurance AFTER their area had been hit by floods and complained when the insrance companies wouldn't insure them !

Does anyone know how long the strikes could go on for?? I'm travelling July 27th and I don't want it to affect my holiday! If it's from July 1st, I just wanted to know if anyone knew?
Thanks

Fordie wrote:Does anyone know how long the strikes could go on for?? I'm travelling July 27th and I don't want it to affect my holiday! If it's from July 1st, I just wanted to know if anyone knew?
Thanks

Dates will only be announced by the Union if the ballot to strike is passed by its members. THe 1st July date is only an indication of when possible atrikes might start it does not mean a strike will happen on that date.

As to how long a strike might last it depends on how long it takes to reach a settlement. Very often a positive strike ballot does not actually lead to strike action. The whole idea it to force the management to come up with a better offer !

Oh gosh I fly to Washington on 9th July. Argh

Virgin can quite frankly stick my quarter million miles right up where even their sunshine glorious leader cannot find them if I don't get out from GLA to MCO on 2nd July.

Delay on the way back - yeah, cross my palm with compensation and I'll force myself to stay on in the sun. But stop me getting there - you better batten down the hatches. Grrr.