Unite members reject BA's "final offer" (20 Jul 10)

[Nottingham Nick]

Link to story on BBC News.

What I find absolutely astounding, is that fact that less than half of the membership even bothered to vote.

Am I missing something? Surely everyone who is in the union, and is directly affected by this massive decision, must have an opinion?

Is it apathy, or are people somehow prevented from exercising their democratic right?

Nick

It does seem odd, particularly with the relatively high turnouts at the last couple of ballots. That said, the proof of the pudding will be more in the next ballot for industrial action. I guess the risk from the union's point of view is that BA will see potential weakness, withdraw this offer and if the next ballot is not overwhelmingly in favour of action, BA will claim victory and the union will not have got anything of this painful period.

Still leaves thing so uncertain though... I really thought it would have been resolved this time, as the unions could have saved face...

Is it apathy, or are people somehow prevented from exercising their democratic right?

Nick

I think its more down to apathy. The ballots are postal carried out by an independent electoral organisation not the union and are sent to the address the member lists with the union.

I guess most CC will have them sent to their home addresses - probbaly best with strange shift patterns etc etc. I suppose they could have them sent to their BA base and there is a chance they could get 'lost' in the internal post but would BA really stoop so low? It would only take one member to complain about not getting their paper ...

Lots of reports from people who have resigned from the union still getting the consultation papers.

A report from one union activist that

This was merely a consultative ballot and the reason for the low return was probably due to many people not receiving or returning their ballot papers in time.

Well it was BASSA organising it ....

Many suggestions that BASSA still have little idea who is in their "Union" and who is not

12,500 CC in BA - only 3419 vote to reject the BA offer, although it must be remembered that the BASSA "consultation" was selective; it did not include such as the LGW crews that they thought would vote for the BA deal.
Will be interesting to hear from BA how many have actually already signed the new contract.

There can be little doubt that even if Unite can yet win a ballot calling for strike action, it will be a small number actually striking with large numbers available to keep BA flying. I suspect that all they are now trying to do is cause the maximum disruption to BA sales by using a long drawn out series of threats of more strikes.

[Scrooge]

It could also be that the remaining cabin crew will just ignore any strike action and show up for work.

[Darren Wheeler]

BASSA and Unite will still claim it as a victory.

There's only so long they can hold BA to ransom before BA start playing hardball.