This Christmas our hearts go out to all members feeling the financial strain on our industry, especially those under the threat of redundancy. Over 300 members in our recognised companies are staring redundancy in the face and we at BALPA continue to do all we can to help and support them by negotiating the best possible terms and minimising the impact where ever possible

It is difficult for many, but few have suffered the uniquely brutal experience of our 43 fellow members who got axed from Flyglobespan with only days till Christmas. These members will have no notice period, no predicted salary and no redundancy package, not even the Government statutory one for a while. Their need is immediate

Some members, having witnessed all this from the relative comfort of a permanent job and a guaranteed salary in January, have asked how they can make a direct financial contribution to these fellow members. It is heartening that this spirit moves members to want to make a donation to people they are unlikely to ever meet. And whilst some of our Flyglobespan colleagues might be embarrassed by the generosity of strangers; we know they will be proud to belong to a profession that acts in this way.

The National Executive Council (NEC) is happy to make this possible and this Christmas has established the BALPA Hardship Fund. The Fund will have no administration costs with each penny raised going to the Flyglobespan 43 with no judgement made about their relative needs.

Although we never secured union recognition in Globespan the NEC is of course giving the 43 all the help it can to secure justice and their statutory entitlements - but from previous experience this is likely to be slow and cumbersome. Globespan members can also turn (as all members can) to the independent BALPA Benevolent Fund – but that will look at each case on its merits and more often than not is in the form of a loan.

The Hardship Fund does not seek to replace that facility; it is blind to individual circumstances. It is only about giving a gift this Christmas to each of these individuals whose life has just stalled.

We know that our profession is generous, but we also know that it is also very questioning and in typical fashion there will be a thousand reasons for not doing this in this way. But your NEC wants to make things happen, not find reasons not to do things. NEC members have already made individual pledges to get the ball rolling and the progress of the fund will feature on the General Members Forum as well as announcing it to external stakeholders.

We hope you feel able to support and if so please transfer money electronically (to save on administration) to BALPA Hardship Fund quoting Sort Code 08-60-01 and account number 20204158; our bankers, Unity Trust, have got the ball rolling by pump-priming with £250. If you prefer to send a cheque then please send to “Julie Rutley, Treasurer, BALPA Christmas Hardship Fund, BALPA House, 5 Heathrow Boulevard, West Drayton, UB7 0DQ.

For those wishing to pay from a non-UK bank account, the details supplied by our bank are: SWIFT Code is - CPBKGB22; IBAN Number is - GB11 CPBK 0800 5150 0732 10. And you will need to quote the account number as a reference ((20204158)
 

This fund has now closed. Please look out for further details on this website soon.