British Airways pilots have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, their right to strike has been upheld by the courts, but no strike has yet been scheduled. The airline and its pilots have been in government-facilitated negotiations, much like American Airlines and its mechanics.
According to Head for Points British Airways pilots want,
- profit sharing
- pay increases linked to inflation
- more of what British Airways saves from cost-cutting
A major challenge coming to an agreement seems to be that British Airways is negotiating with its pilots, but in the background former British Airways CEO Willie Walsh who is now CEO of parent company IAG, may be the real decision-maker. Walsh is known for playing hardball, and right now negotiators may be playing telephone with him through BA CEO Alex Cruz rather than being empowered to make a deal.
Ultimately pilots can bring down an airline in a way no other work group can. They’ve done it to United, and American’s pilots essentially decided that former CEO Tom Horton had to go. BA largely broke more than one flight attendants’ strike, flying threw them with replacements, but pilots are far more scarce and difficult to train up.
Why? Because they’re union scum. Fire them all.
Ronald Reagan,
I’m sure you be the first in line to fly in a pilotless plane at the mercy of a computer.
What is disturbing is this seems to happen all the time in Europe not just BA. If they want a part of the cost savings and profit sharing ok, but conversely they take a hit when costs rise above a certain bench mark and their profit sharing program takes the hit as well, you can not have it one way, but then socialism runs deep in many parts of Europe. The unions here are bringing to run up against the wall, and in a steeper decline. If people knew what the added costs were to construction due to the union contracts !! Our internal studies show 35%. Disclaimer my non union operation pay prevailing wages, sick pay, vacation and insurance. and its still 35% less
Jedipigeon – happily.
@jedipenguin
So in your mind the only options are unionized pilots or pilotless airplanes? What about the other 98% of employees in the world that are hired, promoted and fired based on their own performance, instead of this legalized extortion that raises prices and creates societal disruptions for the rest of us? Can you point to one reason why pilots need a union? Unions were created to fight against unsafe worker conditions in factories and mines, now they are just a means to extract above market wages through threats and intimidation
The constant strikes is one reason why I no longer travel to Europe for leisure, and I lived there for over a year, so it pains me to do so.
There’s a big difference between authorizing a strike and striking, but a strike authorization vote is a necessary first step. A union needs a strike authorization vote to have credibility in bargaining. It doesn’t necessarily mean a strike is imminent.
Pilots are highly paid…really highly paid. That means striking (not working) costs them a lot. It is a high-risk gamble for a union to take them out. The union better get members a lot if it actually calls a strike, or union leadership may be the ones out of work.
Laughable, Pommies on strike, LOL, what’s the difference. Talk about “mememe” when it comes to BA crew. Service and operations will probably improve while these lazy asses are on strike.
They have a right to strike, pay linked to inflation is a reasonable ask. I support this.
Not only employees, but passengers have suffered through BA’s cutbacks during the airline’s lean years. Now, it seems only fair that they benefit when the airline has record profits. And profit sharing compensation mirrors the company’s fiscal health—a reasonable demand.
This notion that a company’s sole responsibility is to shareholders (and to highly compensated executives) is ridiculous. It’s why income disparity levels have widened and why the middle class is almost extinct.
I have an award flight booked a week from now. What is my recourse if they strike? My travel is time sensitive and I’m wondering if BA is obligated to book me with another carrier.
“Ronald Reagan,
I’m sure you be the first in line to fly in a pilotless plane at the mercy of a computer.”
Actually, the first ones were those who flew on the 737 max. You know, the plane whose computer would occasionally turn into a homicidal maniac.