NEWS ALERT: BAA Strike Action (Jan 08)

[jjpb3]

Strike action currently scheduled for:

7 January (24 hours beginning 0600 GMT)
14 January (24 hours beginning 0600 GMT)
17 January (48 hours beginning 0600 GMT)

Wow, they were actually careful not to disrupt people's holiday plans.




http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7155147.stm

[KeithMEL]

Whoops - I arrive at about an hour before the strike ends on 15JAN.
And multiple connections via London, though I avoid the 2nd strike by a few hours.

Whatever it is in contention, I hope the strike will be averted and both sides come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Hmm, so do I take it that BA will cancel my flight arriving from SIN at 0450 on the 15th of Jan...? I'd better swap myself to QF31 that arrives at 0620 then?

I'd better stash some necessities in my carry-on too...

[jjpb3]

Whatever it is in contention, I hope the strike will be averted and both sides come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

The BAA union doesn't like the fact that future (i.e., to be hired) workers won't get the same pension benefits as current workers.

Hmm, so do I take it that BA will cancel my flight arriving from SIN at 0450 on the 15th of Jan...?

Isn't it BAA workers who would be manning the aerobridge, gates, etc. at 0450? I would've thought you couldn't even get off the plane. (As you can see, though, I know very little about airport ops.) I don't know how BA would be able to squeeze the 0450 arrival to a later slot, given that other airlines would be scheduled to land then.

[KeithMEL]

Oh well - rebooked on QF31 arriving at 0620 which thankfully was showing D2. Unfortunately this reduces the time I have at Notts.

I can understand why they'd go on strike for future workers. It is one of the fundamental tenets of unionism to look after the interests of all members, current and future. There is also nothing stopping employers from 'restructuring' and reorganising existing employees (ie deeming them as 'new' employees) on to new contracts with worse conditions when existing contracts end, though i'm sure there's some 'no disadvantage' provision. Unlike the QF FAs union who'd just set a very bad precedent by screwing over their future members for some handouts for current members. Still, I hope they'd be able to avert the strike as it ought to be one of the very last resorts.

I'm bracing myself for lots of delayed baggage...

[CGK]

how about sq 322 arrival?

[jjpb3]

how about sq 322 arrival?

I think that has a greater chance for being able to ask for a later landing time than KeithMEL's BA flight, but we can only guess for now. It's definitely going to fill up with refugees from the previous day's SQ322.

[kchika]

OMG! I am currently booked on CX255, 7 January - which is supposed to be the first flight to arrive T3 after 0600 GMT.

[Lobster]

OMG! I am currently booked on CX255, 7 January - which is supposed to be the first flight to arrive T3 after 0600 GMT.

Looks like you are safe now as they have called off the first strike

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7165196.stm

[KeithMEL]

The outline of a deal over the pension scheme has been reached and will now go to union delegates for ratification.

Should it be approved, then the strikes on 14 and 17 January will also be called off.

Looks very much like it's just union posturing then.

[KeithMEL]

All strikes have been called off for now:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7169738.stm

Unions have called off three strikes set for January that threatened to close the UK's busiest airports.

Officials voted to halt the industrial action after airport operator BAA eased plans to alter workers' pensions right.