British Airways Strike

Not surprisingly, the Tories are trying to take advantage of their Labour enemies by saying the strike is weakening the government prior to an election. Had they been in power the position would not have been different. The issue surrounding this industrial action is historic and could have arisen at any time. The issue is that British Airways has, for many years, been a bullying employer. The pressure has now blown and we have strife. As a former branch secretary of a union (now in retirement) I can still spot a bad employer from a mile away.

Good relations between employers and their workforce always keep strife at bay. At the negotiating table no employer worth their salt tries to force a trade union into a corner or to wipe the floor in those negotiations. The only good outcome is one where there is something gained by both sides. Those who teach industrial relations are not cloistered academics with no view of the real world. They know the value of creating and maintaining good employer/employee relations. Their students are advised that this is the only way that produces true settlements.

As for Willie Walsh defending himself by saying his company have been negotiating for months and he personally has spent time at the TUC in talks, this is just a smoke screen. There is no justification in entering talks and steadily offering packages which are less than the previous offer. This shows the madness of what he is trying to do.

Going back to the days of Lord King, British Airways have sucked the life out of cabin crew workers in their airline. They have put profits first and last on their agenda and raised two fingers to their staff. Walsh has now removed the perks from those who have gone on strike this time. This will be remembered for a long time and the sourness will not go away. There will be a dichotomy between strikers and those who have worked through the action that will see bitterness for years to come. No good company needs this background to daily activity in the workplace.

There will be discomfort between cabin crew which will give rise to further strife in the future. The stupid thing, of course, is that this will have an effect on profits which Walsh and co are desperate to preserve.

In other words, this is a no-win scenario, and that is bad for all. Things will get worse and worse in a financial climate where airlines are struggling. The competitors will be rubbing their hands together and relishing the future as they go head to head with British Airways.

Willie, you are suicidal!