{"id":12888,"date":"2017-07-28T16:05:33","date_gmt":"2017-07-28T15:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=12888"},"modified":"2017-07-28T16:05:33","modified_gmt":"2017-07-28T15:05:33","slug":"nothing-in-my-fridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=12888","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Nothing in my fridge\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

The days of glamourous flying are over \u00e2\u20ac\u201c well at least for most of us. Likewise the days when working as cabin crew for the \u00e2\u20ac\u0098world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s favourite airline\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 was a dream job, a job synonymous with serving the rich and glamourous in exotic destinations.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And now the dream \u00e2\u20ac\u201c for many of British Airways\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 mixed fleet at least \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is at best a bubble burst, at worst a nightmare.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today (July 28) International Airlines Group (IAG) \u00e2\u20ac\u201c BA\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s parent company – revealed colossal profits of \u00e2\u201a\u00ac975m for the half year to July 2017, a massive rise of nearly 40 per cent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

British Airways profits of \u00e2\u201a\u00ac742m, are up nearly 20 per cent, against the backdrop of the mixed fleet cabin crew dispute and a disastrous start to the busy summer season caused by an IT failure \u00e2\u20ac\u201c exposing the airline to be without a disruption plan to support passengers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite has repeatedly urged the airline to address the issue of poverty pay among mixed fleet crew \u00e2\u20ac\u201c whose salaries start at just over \u00c2\u014112,000 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which has seen some turn to food banks and others take second jobs in order to get by.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mixed fleet member Jay* was clearly not impressed. He said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe profits are great for the shareholders, yet they treat us like this. They are paying huge allowances to cabin crew to get taxis into work, for food and toiletries, it can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be sustainable.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not easy \u00e2\u20ac\u201c especially when they had expected so much. Darren* tells us, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI left a \u00c2\u014121k a year (basic, before bonus) branch manager position for a mobile phone company to experience my dream as cabin crew. I saw the \u00c2\u014121k – \u00c2\u014125k offering on BA\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s website and thought that looked ok.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bLittle did I know that you don’t even get close to that. Last year my P60, along with everyone I have spoken to on the fleet showed I made just over \u00c2\u014117k.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The harsh reality is many cabin crew are facing life on poverty pay. Mixed fleet salaries start at just over \u00c2\u014112,000. Unite has repeatedly urged the airline to address this shameful situation \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which has seen some have no choice but to turn to food banks. Others take second jobs in order to get by.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Second jobs <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For many second jobs are the only way to survive \u00e2\u20ac\u201c leaving many stressed and exhausted. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had to have a second job the entire six years I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve worked on mixed fleet. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in my mid 30s and I shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to do that,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says Emma*.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been living on one ready meal a day. My BA pay covers my rent and no more.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For Emma the perceived cabin crew lifestyle is as illusory as the advertised income promised as 10 per cent above the market rate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t drink, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t party. In fact I try not to spend money down route, and try to take my own food when I can. But I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t live on pot noodle.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The ongoing dispute became increasingly bitter when British Airways removed the ‘bonuses’ of striking crew \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a vital lifeline for the low-waged workers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And that wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t all. The financial punishment continued as the BA cut the travel benefits on which a number of the already struggling crew relied on to commute to work.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Member Martha* is finding this tough \u00e2\u20ac\u201c leaving her at her wits\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 end.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m doing hairdressing just to pay for petrol,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt makes me rage when I see the profits BA is making. Why can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t they pass some of those on to us? All they need to do is offer us a bit more money, give us our bonuses back and treat us with a bit of respect. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not asking for much.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m embarrassed to use the food bank here. My friends do shopping for me, but I shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to live like this, always in a panic when a bill comes in.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

\"BAFood bank – Unite Mixed Fleet branch food bank for striking members<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite has called this state of affairs as \u00e2\u20ac\u0098frankly obscene\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and has vowed to challenge both these moves in court.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colossal profits <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIAG\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s colossal profits confirm what we have always said; that BA can easily afford to solve this dispute,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 commented Oliver Richardson, Unite national officer for civil aviation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is frankly obscene to keep thousands of BA\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s workforce on poverty pay at the same time as the company makes millions of pounds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe airline seems content to spend a fortune to break the will of their own workforce, rather than resolve their concerns over fair wages and punitive sanctions,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For Jaime* with a \u00e2\u20ac\u0098crippling mortgage\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to pay, the emphasis on profits and share prices when she counts the pennies in her purse, is demoralising.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn my first year with BA my P60 showed I earned \u00c2\u014119,900. Last year it was just over \u00c2\u014115,000.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWorking for BA is no longer a future, a career. They want you to work for two years and go. The shares certainly look good, if you can afford to buy them. But that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just it with BA, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all about the share price,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe City may cheer today’s news but every day this dispute drags on is another day that our national carrier is associated with the bullying and intimidation of a young, lowly paid workforce,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says Richardson.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe damage that the airline\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s aggression towards its workforce is doing to its reputation must surely be ringing alarm bells.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The BA mixed fleet cabin crew end a 14-day stoppage at midnight on August 1. If there is no resolution another 14-day dispute will start on August 2.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite says again to BA chief executive Alex Cruz, sit down with us and work this out,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Richardson says. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bQuite clearly the airline can afford to settle this dispute.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bTo fail to do so in the wake of such staggering profits is simply irresponsible.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Irresponsible and unfair. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bI get people writing in complimenting me on my work,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 explains Emma. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bMy experience is valuable, they need experienced crew.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not glamorous or easy work. There are many nights we go without sleep, many trips we have to deal with medical emergencies and abusive passengers.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not right that I work for the national flag carrier, which is making these huge profits, and I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t afford food. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing in my fridge except for condiments and butter.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite believes Emma, Jay, Martha and all the mixed fleet crew facing such hardships deserve better. The dispute continues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Name has been changed<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The days of glamourous flying are over \u00e2\u20ac\u201c well at least for most of us. Likewise the days when working as cabin crew for the \u00e2\u20ac\u0098world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s favourite airline\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 was a dream job, a job synonymous with serving the rich and glamourous in exotic destinations.   And now the dream \u00e2\u20ac\u201c for many of British Airways\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[390,96,88],"wps_subtitle":"BA profits soar while crew live in poverty","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12888"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12888"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12891,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12888\/revisions\/12891"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}