[Ash W]

Saj do you actually live in the UK? If so you would know about some of the other industrial disputes that have been going on for some time and the discontent that the unions have with the current Labour Government. Apart from this dispute between members of Unite and BA, there is also a current dispute between the RMT and National Rail (which may see a 4 day national strike next week), there has also been major industrial action at Royal Mail, as well as the usual goings on in London Underground.

At no point was I giving my personal view or take on the current dispute, I was saying what was being reported in the news papers. Considering this is an Australian board, with mostly Australian members it is clear that many back home wouldn't get quite the same take on current English politics through Australian media, hence why I mentioned it in this thread. Yet for some reason you feel the need to attack the view as wrong. As I said it isn't my view, but what is being reported here in the UK (where I currently live).

I will say it once again, last week I read in either the Times or the Independent an editorial that was linking all these disputes with a plan in the union movement as a whole (not Unite specifically) to return the Labour party back to the left. I am not saying it is right, I am not saying it is wrong, but THAT WAS WHAT WAS BEING REPORTED. If you disagree fine, but don't say I am wrong, when all I was doing was reporting what I read.

As for public opinion again I was reporting what I was reading in the real newspapers, and rightly or wrongly the public sentiment was in favour of the unions. I will add the disclaimer that this was last week before the 2nd round of strikes. I didn't get a chance to read a newspaper yesterday or at the weekend to see what is being reported now, though the BBC, after the report I saw last night, now seems to be leaning the way of the airline.

As for unionism I am 100% right. An employee in the UK is free to choose to join a union if they wish, they are also free to choose to not join a union if they wish. Employers have the right to recognise unions, likewise they have the right to not recognise unions, in which case they have a legal obligation consulte with EMPLOYEE's (or their appointed representative) on certain issues. This is the LAW, FULL STOP. Don't beleive me have a look at the TUC website. (for those in Aus the TUC is akin to the ACTU)

Though of course in real life things are not so simple. You have given some very valid examples of what happens in real life, but what these examples clearly show is the way some companies can and do to counter the effect unionism can have in their workplaces. For example you are talking about agency staff. Agency staff do not work for the airline do they? No they work for the agency. So of course the airline is insulated from any effect unionism may have because the employee's don't work directly for them. That does not take away the employee's legal right to be a union member, it does however minimise any effect it may have though.

Of course using contract companies doesn't mean a company isn't caught up in industrial disputes. I recall late last year there was a dispute with one of the handling companies at Heathrow. Whilst the dispute was between the company and the employee's of that company, the effect was felt by customer airlines of that handling company.

As for my personal take on this dispute, I agree 100% with you the employee's should be grateful they have a job, and their actions are doing untold damage to BA, which may well bite them in the bum later on. I do also agree with the newspaper reports that the Union movement is using this and other high profile industrial disputes to oust the current Labour leadership. Clearly everyone has given up any hope of Brown and New Labour being returned to power. The behind the scenes political in-fighting for control of Labour has started.