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the rumour is that Jimmy Hoffa snr is encased in concrete holding up the Miami freeway, he is reported to be even now more 'flexible' than Willie Walsh in his negotiating stance.....

I know of one significant US business that employs a large gentleman of Italian Anerican origin to liaise with the Teamsters. Somehow they never suffer from any industrial action by the Teamsters. I would suggest that Unite are careful with whom they want as friends.

it would probably be fair for those defending BA to remember their dirty tricks e.g against virgin.



what role did BA [along with others] play in the demise of freddie lakers skytrain?

isn't there an airline mafia?

"My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. "

Mmmmm!

Blaming Unite for the Thistory of the Teamsters is like saying people should not vote Tory because of the Peterloo Massacre or Labour because they once supported Clause 4.

Mature debate as ever Mr Crick.

Every few years our unions show interesting notions of market reality that seem to serve the interests of those they purport to serve poorly.

That's between them and those who voted to join and pay for such sterling 'service'.

However, when it comes to reporting these days, things seem to get equally 'interesting'.

Are odd links and associations the order of the day now?

Not so long ago I recall an attempt in certain quarters to get exited by the fact that some outfit was meeting in a venue which the Nazis might have used as an HQ if they had, um, succeeded in invading.

The sound of barrels being scraped is drowning out sensible news coverage and/or commentary daily.

On an historical note, what was the advantage to the Mafia of its influence over the Teamsters? Just trying to make a connection with the new incarnation's actions in terms of benefits (or not) to various protagonists.

An interesting 'affaire' thus far, rather depending on where your news comes from, possibly. This tweet (which I can't confirm until I go out) resonates:

Guardian front page: 'BA "declares war" on union'. Telegraph: 'Held to ransom by the unions.' Ummmm.

I must say a lot of Strikelogic, as shared on risible pre-selected-for-max-extreme vox pops & 'sampled' emailings by all broadcasters defeats me. Striker: I'm compromising my already struggling, uncompetitive employer's ability to keep, much less pay me 'for the sake of my family'. Union leader: higher historic comparative salaries negotiated with great skill and little concern to future longevity 'locked' . Er... market realities?

And I don't know if BA do (or now can) fly to Marrakesh, and am by no means defending their handling of this, but where's it written that negotiating terms can only be argued down & not back up if pushed, as whinged by some union official like it's a silly schoolyard game?

What, the union just pitch one extreme end from current and eventually settle in the middle? Which is better than they were before. Until the next nibble. Risky strategy by BA maybe, but it can focus the other side's minds if they find they have pushed too far and things are now getting hardball again. More so to focus on eroding time... and customer patience, which both translate into further lost money.

I await finding out how I do become a co-loser, as it often seems that taxpayers end up saving the faces of highly paid incompetents who create messes based on ego and dogma and self-interest, but at the moment the only ones I can see not coming out of this well are BA employees.

It has not been a brand I'd opt for in comparison to other choices anyway on product and service, and after this an Aeroflot/Air Zimbabwe code-share would almost be preferable to actually trust a future date might stand a chance of being met.

Unless they hook up pronto with lastminute.com I'd say they were stuffed.

willie wants to turn BA into a downmarket Ryanair with no job security, no pensions, no holidays, no time off long haul, instant dismissal, charge to go to the khazi, binned when your thirty and definitely no union....all the things Virgin, Easyjet, Ryanair are already....makes you proud to be British!!

I've been following the closely - I think the Union & Cabin Crew are completely nuts to complete striking constantly. They're slowly going to kill of company thats already suffering immensely because of its pension decificit.

Its all a bit depressing if you ask me..