BA Strike - Your Thoughts & Questions
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The blame lies with BA mgmt over an extended period of time. EVERY manager who gave in for a quite life is to blame. Every department boss, every senior manager, every BA CEO and all members of the board and their Chairmen across the last 20 years (since the last recession) - they are all to blame. Some will still be there but most will be on the golf course and with fat pensions. They should be ashamed that they had so lost control of their jobs that it could come to the point where pax who have paid a premium price may only get a hot towel depending on the mood of the CC.
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The blame lies with BA mgmt over an extended period of time. EVERY manager who gave in for a quite life is to blame. Every department boss, every senior manager, every BA CEO and all members of the board and their Chairmen across the last 20 years (since the last recession) - they are all to blame. Some will still be there but most will be on the golf course and with fat pensions. They should be ashamed that they had so lost control of their jobs that it could come to the point where pax who have paid a premium price may only get a hot towel depending on the mood of the CC.
Sadly, when they're not, it becomes time to trim the fat. The fact is that BASSA have still got that pre-privatisation mindset ("jobs for life") which simply cannot exist in the modern world. Earning more because you've been stumbling along doing the same average work for decades is ridiculous, and merit-based pay is by far the fairer approach, and more conducive to a productive workforce. Obviously the old guard don't like this because it means their work has to be measured, and I'm fairly certain that more than a few of them would not stand up to any form of scrutiny.
Plenty of the blame can be laid at the feet of the BASSA dinosaurs, who have tried to use their membership as the stick with which to beat BA into submission. Thankfully the current management team, board and shareholders have had enough of it.
The days of BASSA using the airline as their own little plaything are over.
Those CC who are willing to embrace a new era, including profit sharing, productivity bonuses, etc., are the ones that will benefit. This is why BASSA are so keen to make sure they are kept in the dark and their voices ignored or even shouted down.
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MissM:
Yes..a minority. BASSA can tout it's vote figures ad nauseum but the fact is that a majority of Cabin Crew voted with their feet and went to work.
The striking cabin crew are in the minority.
Yes..a minority. BASSA can tout it's vote figures ad nauseum but the fact is that a majority of Cabin Crew voted with their feet and went to work.
The striking cabin crew are in the minority.
.....SO DON'T U THINK GUYS THIS IS THE TIME TO BACKFIRE???????
Rhetorical question: Why do so many pro-BASSA supporters (Miss M, Eddy and Litebulbs excepted*) appear unable to construct a lucid post? Without exception, all BA CC I have ever spoken to (and I've had over 400 flights with BA so that's quite a few) can hold an intelligent conversation. So why the apparent failure to communicate their views? More importantly, why have they been so easily misled by BASSA?
*with apologies to anyone I've overlooked
Last edited by Mariner9; 16th Apr 2010 at 08:31.
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This is overly simplistic.
Senior executives are paid to take control of businesses and run them.
If necessary, that includes reshaping the organization and the culture.
Try reading 'From the Gut' by Jack Welch, the man who did exactly this at GE and you will get a sense of how he achieved this.
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No it is not, with the very greatest of respect, it nails the core issue.
Senior executives are paid to take control of businesses and run them.
If necessary, that includes reshaping the organization and the culture.
Try reading 'From the Gut' by Jack Welch, the man who did exactly this at GE and you will get a sense of how he achieved this.
Senior executives are paid to take control of businesses and run them.
If necessary, that includes reshaping the organization and the culture.
Try reading 'From the Gut' by Jack Welch, the man who did exactly this at GE and you will get a sense of how he achieved this.
I fail to see how you can possibly justify BASSA's behaviour in this current dispute as being a direct result of poor management. After all, it's only a couple of years ago that BA made record profits and put a ton of cash into the pension scheme. This, after all, is a major goal for management, no?
I lay the blame squarely at BASSA's desperation to maintain the status quo in the face of an overwhelming need to adapt.
Yes, stronger management in years gone by may have meant less shock and awe now, but as it is, we know BASSA were not asked to make a major sacrifice - other than the old school CSDs getting off their arses and doing some work for a change.
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ChicoG
Postulating weak management at BA does not justify BASSA's actions and I have not said that.
IMHO they have acted very foolishly.
The line in my post, that you seem to have missed, is
Note: my emboldening
Postulating weak management at BA does not justify BASSA's actions and I have not said that.
IMHO they have acted very foolishly.
The line in my post, that you seem to have missed, is
If necessary, that includes reshaping the organization and the culture.
Moving slightly away from the issue of the rights and wrongs on to the effect it has on customers.
I have just returned from a trip MAN/LHR/HKG/SGN/HKG/BJS/LHR/MAN
4 of the flights were on BA, 2 Cathay and 1 Dragonair. The HKG flights were in WT+.
The Cathay & Dragonair were in Economy.
The service from CX and KA and the comfort were superior in Economy to those on BA.
Both my colleague and myself commented 'why are we travelling BA still'.
That is the effect the strikes are having, it is causing regular passengers such as myself to re assess who we fly with.
Whoever is to blame Management or Staff, personally I believe neither can escape criticism. The end result is people such as myself will vote with their feet and won't come back.
If sufficient numbers take the view we have, and I suggest they may well do, the end game has started for BA and its staff and this whole argument may become pointless as there may be no airline to argue over.
So both sides need to get their act together for their own futures and that of a once proud airline.
I have just returned from a trip MAN/LHR/HKG/SGN/HKG/BJS/LHR/MAN
4 of the flights were on BA, 2 Cathay and 1 Dragonair. The HKG flights were in WT+.
The Cathay & Dragonair were in Economy.
The service from CX and KA and the comfort were superior in Economy to those on BA.
Both my colleague and myself commented 'why are we travelling BA still'.
That is the effect the strikes are having, it is causing regular passengers such as myself to re assess who we fly with.
Whoever is to blame Management or Staff, personally I believe neither can escape criticism. The end result is people such as myself will vote with their feet and won't come back.
If sufficient numbers take the view we have, and I suggest they may well do, the end game has started for BA and its staff and this whole argument may become pointless as there may be no airline to argue over.
So both sides need to get their act together for their own futures and that of a once proud airline.
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@ pwalhx ... well said, and of course the core issue is the future of BA, not the bickering and allocation of blame for past events.
BA is still a good airline, but it can do better. I think we all hope that the aftermath of the current problem will see the beginning of a return to a better service.
FLYING BA ... on Tuesday and Wednesday [possibly]
BA is still a good airline, but it can do better. I think we all hope that the aftermath of the current problem will see the beginning of a return to a better service.
FLYING BA ... on Tuesday and Wednesday [possibly]
Emanresuym $ 982
I don’t disagree with you comments, useable time at home is what really counts, but I developed my strategy to counter all those who kept telling me that I had the best job in the World ‘cos I was “ always home “. I did have the best job in the World, but that was located in the best seat in the house – top left corner of a 747, but that’s another story !
I don’t disagree with you comments, useable time at home is what really counts, but I developed my strategy to counter all those who kept telling me that I had the best job in the World ‘cos I was “ always home “. I did have the best job in the World, but that was located in the best seat in the house – top left corner of a 747, but that’s another story !
Ancient Observer # 983
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Akcherly - not pensions, and let’s hope it never is !
and akcherly – not a "one man campaign" either, I’m only one of a group of angry and distressed retirees Worldwide who are hoping to change the BA corporate mind, which you would be aware of if you were affected, and cared – it would appear that few who subscribe to PPRuNe are, or do.
To paraphrase Napoleon ( ‘cos I can’t recall the precise quote ) “The sound of 10 people talking is louder then the 10,000 who are silent “
..........but take the pension issues somewhere else
Akcherly - not pensions, and let’s hope it never is !
and akcherly – not a "one man campaign" either, I’m only one of a group of angry and distressed retirees Worldwide who are hoping to change the BA corporate mind, which you would be aware of if you were affected, and cared – it would appear that few who subscribe to PPRuNe are, or do.
To paraphrase Napoleon ( ‘cos I can’t recall the precise quote ) “The sound of 10 people talking is louder then the 10,000 who are silent “
What should the dismissal rate of CSDs be?
On the "awful managers of the past breed Bassa attitudes" debate, I would be interested in contributors' views on an appropriate rate of dismissal for CSDs who deliver poor customer service.
Clearly, BA need to deliver a more accurate measurement system of customers' perceptions - the current one is weak and capable of manipulation, (by CSDs them selves), but once it has done that, what % of poor CSDs should be fired each year?
In the IT sector, many of the big names (Cisco, Oracle and others) fire their worst 10% of performers each and every year. GE also fire their worst 10% every year.
A "normal" rate of firing of poor performers where I have worked is circa 5%.
Should BA seek to improve its customer experience by firing the weaker CSDs, and if it should, what % should be the annual target??
( ex-Spbd. I would reply, but I don't want to encourage your contributions on that matter. I note that you show no empathy for your ex-customers' complaint)
Clearly, BA need to deliver a more accurate measurement system of customers' perceptions - the current one is weak and capable of manipulation, (by CSDs them selves), but once it has done that, what % of poor CSDs should be fired each year?
In the IT sector, many of the big names (Cisco, Oracle and others) fire their worst 10% of performers each and every year. GE also fire their worst 10% every year.
A "normal" rate of firing of poor performers where I have worked is circa 5%.
Should BA seek to improve its customer experience by firing the weaker CSDs, and if it should, what % should be the annual target??
( ex-Spbd. I would reply, but I don't want to encourage your contributions on that matter. I note that you show no empathy for your ex-customers' complaint)
Just jealous
I'm just jealous of where you live.
I've never been there outside work trips, (hence know airport/hotel/office and sfa else) - would love to visit on a holiday basis, but she who must be obeyed isn't interested.
I've never been there outside work trips, (hence know airport/hotel/office and sfa else) - would love to visit on a holiday basis, but she who must be obeyed isn't interested.
Ancient Observer
Don't get too carried away, not the Clean, Green, Safe image portrayed by the Popular Press, weather not Australian - but it's better than UK ( IMHO ) - but I agree, it's not all bad !
( and no, I don't miss the English Pubs, NZ beer is probably better than most outside Yorkshire, at least a change from the universal Lager brews that seem to be all you can get anywhere else in the World. )
PM for further details.
Don't get too carried away, not the Clean, Green, Safe image portrayed by the Popular Press, weather not Australian - but it's better than UK ( IMHO ) - but I agree, it's not all bad !
( and no, I don't miss the English Pubs, NZ beer is probably better than most outside Yorkshire, at least a change from the universal Lager brews that seem to be all you can get anywhere else in the World. )
PM for further details.
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She who must be obeyed (with apologies to Rider Haggard) should be disobeyed.
Thread drift but...NZ is wonderful and it has a great national air line too with no Pommie moaners on board as cabin crew.
Thread drift but...NZ is wonderful and it has a great national air line too with no Pommie moaners on board as cabin crew.
Last edited by Der absolute Hammer; 16th Apr 2010 at 17:26.
Oh, come on, boys and girls! I would very much appreciate a response to my question about what % of BA CSDs should be fired for poor customer service each year.
This is thread drift. - As to the NZ thing, we did Aus this Jan/Feb., (one of the sisters lives there) - but altho' one of her other sisters (yup, they're all part Irish) - went to NZ, we weren't allowed to go there.
This is thread drift. - As to the NZ thing, we did Aus this Jan/Feb., (one of the sisters lives there) - but altho' one of her other sisters (yup, they're all part Irish) - went to NZ, we weren't allowed to go there.
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In the current Ash Crisis, this thread rather pales into the department of trivia, doesn't it?
Talks may [or may not] be happening. But all of a sudden, due to the forces of Nature, mankind's efforts to conquer the Planet have been put in perspective. What BASSA largely failed to do, Iceland has achieved [as it nearly did with my Kaupthing account, which I closed within the last hour of operations!].
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28
We all have much more to worry about than BASSA, it appears.
Talks may [or may not] be happening. But all of a sudden, due to the forces of Nature, mankind's efforts to conquer the Planet have been put in perspective. What BASSA largely failed to do, Iceland has achieved [as it nearly did with my Kaupthing account, which I closed within the last hour of operations!].
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28
We all have much more to worry about than BASSA, it appears.
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Ancient Observer
In the IT sector, many of the big names (Cisco, Oracle and others) fire their worst 10% of performers each and every year. GE also fire their worst 10% every year.
They may not have a logical staffing process, but there are no annual sackings in my part of ship. (I am delighted to say!) 
Roger.