rumoured virgin atlantic pilots strike

[eeyoreguy]

Complete rumour at the moment but apparently there is considerable unrest within the vs crew about working conditions at the moment...


Pilots at Virgin Atlantic are apparently about to be balloted on Industrial action. The dispute which has rumbled on quietly for some months is finally coming to a head.

BALPA (the Pilots union) claims that Virgin Atlantic management are violating their industrial agreement by reducing the annual entitlement of "Rostered Days Off" if they go sick or take leave? Currently Virgin Pilots are entitled to 120 rostered days off + annual leave. BALPA contends the 120 Rostered days off are the Pilots weekends. So the frequently asked question is; do Mon-Fri/office staff have their Saturdays and Sundays taken away from them if they go sick or take leave during the working week? No, of course they don't. So why do Virgin Atlantic think it is right to do this to their Pilots. Particularly if it is clearly against the rules of their industrial agreement? Perhaps Virgin believe that at the moment the unions are weak and an easy target in their efforts to reduce costs.

This dispute is apparently just one of a string of issues that Virgin Atlantic Pilots have with their management. The Pilots assert that over the last 2 years they have "bent over backwards" to help the company through some of the toughest times the airline industry has ever faced. They have sacrificed pay and overtime to reduce redundancies. Some Pilots have voluntarily reduced their hours and some have been forced to take sabbaticals. But it is widely known that Virgin Atlantic management have a history of taking advantage of union concessions. It now seems that this latest dispute will prove to be "The straw that broke the Camels back". The Pilots are fed up with the current style of "Management by imposition", some believe there is a clear and present ambition to break the union.

Evidence of a far reaching and very well planned retaliation campaign by BALPA is now starting to come to the surface. Stickers with the slogan "Hands Off our Days Off" have been appearing far and wide around the Virgin network. Numerous CD's of video presentations are in circulation. And a flurry of BALPA news letters have been dropping through letter boxes. Support has evidently been easy to gather as many have become disillutioned with a few of their management figures and it now seems that the Pilots are about to deliver the ultimate industrial message.

Both sides have so far been keen to keep the dispute under wraps as all are conscious of how a dispute could hinder the recovery from the effects of recession, but alas all the talking seems to have failed and it looks set to go to a ballot for industrial action. And there is little doubt as to the result.

[Scott1066]

Great!!

[Deafjeff]

I am not sure if I know the process, how long does it take from the first ballot to strike?

[Keith]

I think it's at least seven days but to be honest, this is at the moment a very tenuous rumour.

Reading around a little, I suspect this is being put around to scare Virgin a little rather more than genuine intent at this time.

Could be wrong but I'm not too worried...... yet!

[Deafjeff]

Union urges Virgin managers to meet with pilots
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sophie Griffiths

The pilots union has urged Virgin Atlantic managers to meet tomorrow in a bid to avoid disruption.

Reports described the talks as a “last ditch” attempt to settle the row which has erupted over work conditions.

The British Airline Pilots’ Association is understood to be trying to resolve a dispute with Richard Branson’s airline over the company’s alleged move to deny its pilots their right to a certain number of rostered days off per year.

Any strikes would not take place until at least the end of September, but reports suggested they could hit the October half-term holiday.

The company's pilots, which number around 750, are said to have been angered by changes to the current system, which allows them 120 days off a year on top of their holiday, in return for routinely working weekends and bank holidays. The union has accused the airline of reneging on an earlier deal.

Newspaper reports cite sources which said members would be "up for" a strike. It would be the first in the history of the airline.

A spokesperson for Virgin said: “We have not had any notification of a ballot. We have a routine, monthly meeting with our pilots on this coming Tuesday and we will be discussing any issues that arise in that forum.”

[Scott1066]

Any strikes would not take place until at least the end of September, but reports suggested they could hit the October half-term holiday.

Great timing , I know its not a deffinatley happening but could do without this

[Deafjeff]

I know one of my closest friend is flying out during the half term too....I am worried for her too...

[lozzy]

I really hope this doesn't happen, we are flying out on the 1st November which is the day the kids are due to return to school after the half term break,

[Scott1066]

I really hope this doesn't happen, we are flying out on the 1st November which is the day the kids are due to return to school after the half term break,

Lets hope Mr Branson can sort this out well before it gets going. With the ash cloud and BA's grief I thought we'd have been plane sailing

[lozzy]

Lets hope Mr Branson can sort this out well before it gets going. With the ash cloud and BA's grief I thought we'd have been plane sailing

I think they will sort it out before it gets to a strike as it will cost them a lot more if they let the stirke go ahead (I would think)