.
The Guardian has published a letter from over 100 leading academics saying that British Airway’s radical stance against striking cabin staff and their union, Unite, could erode workers’ rights across the UK. I note that there is not a word about the union’s overly aggressive stance towards the airline which has been attempting to negotiate with it for the past twelve months.
Part of their statement reads: ‘The wider significance of a triumph of unilateral management prerogative would be a widening of the representation gap in UK employment relations, and a further erosion of worker rights and of that most precious of commodities – democracy.’
Managers have the right to manage a business in the way they deem fit and proper. Unions have a right to uphold the interests of their members. What democracy has to do with it, I don’t see, particularly as our country has more than enough laws and regulations to safeguard the employment rights of people.
The statement refers to ‘worker rights’. Does this, I wonder, refer to the free and discounted travel that striking cabin staff have now forfeited, having been clearly warned in advance that this would be a consequence of their actions? We need to remind ourselves that these strikes have so far cost British Airways £21 millions and merely add to their problems in trying to profitably operate an airline at a time of financial recession, rising costs and reducing passenger carryings.
The statement also criticises British Airways ‘marshalling of resources, including those of bitter industry rival Ryanair, to undermine the action of [BA] staff?’. What on earth did these academics expect the BA management to do faced with a strike of sections of their staff; roll over and let them create deeper losses?
The academics have made their point. But the old adage about those who can, do: those that can’t, teach come to mind.
.
The Guardian has published a letter from over 100 leading academics saying that British Airway’s radical stance against striking cabin staff and their union, Unite, could erode workers’ rights across the UK. I note that there is not a word about the union’s overly aggressive stance towards the airline which has been attempting to negotiate with it for the past twelve months.
Part of their statement reads: ‘The wider significance of a triumph of unilateral management prerogative would be a widening of the representation gap in UK employment relations, and a further erosion of worker rights and of that most precious of commodities – democracy.’
Managers have the right to manage a business in the way they deem fit and proper. Unions have a right to uphold the interests of their members. What democracy has to do with it, I don’t see, particularly as our country has more than enough laws and regulations to safeguard the employment rights of people.
The statement refers to ‘worker rights’. Does this, I wonder, refer to the free and discounted travel that striking cabin staff have now forfeited, having been clearly warned in advance that this would be a consequence of their actions? We need to remind ourselves that these strikes have so far cost British Airways £21 millions and merely add to their problems in trying to profitably operate an airline at a time of financial recession, rising costs and reducing passenger carryings.
The statement also criticises British Airways ‘marshalling of resources, including those of bitter industry rival Ryanair, to undermine the action of [BA] staff?’. What on earth did these academics expect the BA management to do faced with a strike of sections of their staff; roll over and let them create deeper losses?
The academics have made their point. But the old adage about those who can, do: those that can’t, teach come to mind.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment