Acting General Secretary Zohra Francis’ speech to Annual Delegates Conference – Our Shared Future

I was honoured to open the 2026 Annual Delegate Conference.

My thanks go out to everyone who took time out of busy schedules to attend and to our President and the wider leadership team who have provided valuable input into shaping and directing an insightful two days.

Before discussing the theme for this year’s ADC; I want to take a few moments to look back on some of this year’s activities, our shared achievements; such as the efforts that has gone into negotiating and shaping the new pay and career structure for our BA members endorsed by a close but successful ballot; showing that even when you know your members well, it doesn’t replace quality engagement and collective decision making.

The valued legal assistance scheme that supported an increased number of individual cases this year, gaining compensation in the form of settlements in employment and personal injury cases.

Contributions from members of Flight Safety Committees, and recognition of the life-time achievement award given to Frank Epstein for his services to BALPA.

The team that has delivered BALPA Elevate; an area of activity that has grown in frequency of courses and participants.

The Log contributors (both internal and external) who keep this publication relevant to the pilot community.

And our extended gratitude to those who participate by providing assistance on the 24hr helpline. As we experienced this weekend, mutual assistance supports our members both here and abroad when it is needed most.

We have also changed legislation – small but significant steps in the development of the Employment Rights Act and Civil Aviation bill.

This is just a snapshot of our achievements.  The work we do changes the lives of those that we support.  What we do is not easy, not always recognised and it is not without losses along the way.  I want to pay due regard and gratitude to those whose thoughts and ideas, have guided us to where we are today.

Looking forward

We gathered at Heathrow under the theme ‘Our Shared Future.’

It is some years since it was first observed that technology has made our planet a global village. Civil aviation has been at the heart of this.

Air transport is central to human progress. It is the engine of the UK and global economy and is essential for economic growth. Civil aviation facilitates trade, enables tourism and spurs growth and sustainable development all over the world.

International air transport transcends continents, enabling access to markets and trade and allowing priceless opportunities for cultural and social exchange. By connecting people and places civil aviation has shaped the modern world.

And we are at the centre of it.  Thanks to the skill and professionalism of our pilots and the work of BALPA and its networks; it is an industry with an enviable safety record.

The original formation of BALPA before the second world war was to achieve a safe aviation sector. And 50 years ago – in 1976 – BALPA was formally recognised as a trade union.

As we go into pay negotiations with a number of our key companies, we do so with heightened pressures affecting the industry, geopolitical considerations including high fuel and supplier costs – in some airlines this is evidenced in fluctuating passenger numbers; which will no doubt be present in negotiation under a banner of the uncertainty.

One of our biggest employers is on the brink of being owned by a new entity, with a poor record in employment rights.

And domestically, we face inflation pressures that affect the cost of living and will no doubt make negotiations more testing as we fight to deliver our shared vision, mission and values as identified by the Balpa Together.

It is not all challenges.

Thankfully, we have a new framework in the guise of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

We are a Trade union. Without it we have no protections around collective bargaining, trade union activities and protection of officers and reps, and ultimately, industrial action framework.

Fortunately, the Employment Rights Act 2025, has repealed some of the worst anti-trade union legislation.  We now have new protections for taking official and protected industrial action including promised restrictions  on detriment and pay deductions.

Key to the ERA 2025, is the Certification Officer’s power to determine whether a trade union is independent.  This introduces new complexities ahead.

As under new legislation, an Independent Trade Union, with a certificate issued by the CO, opens doors to gaining physical and digital access to companies, so unions can organise.  Unchecked, we may now have competition in companies that have both welcomed our collective voice and have been hostile to it.  The TUC are already seeing inter-union disputes.

We are of course more than a trade union, as we continue our work for aviation safety, and professional standards that protect pilots.  It is a continual challenge that we do not shy away from.

Reporting and monitoring Fatigue is key. It was an essential component of my speech to the TUC and at the forefront of our Realtime App to bring further weight to our evidence to the CAA. This robust year-long data set will be central to BALPA’s input into the review of Flight and duty Time Limitations (FTL).

Our conference enabled discussion and cooperation between pilots and other interested parties. This has always been central to the work of BALPA. ADC is a key part of that – working together to identify the policies we need to shape the aviation industry of the future.

Our industry – civil aviation – has been front and central in the global village we see today. Much of the progress has been positive and welcome – but it will not be without new concepts – such as AI and Reduced Crew Operations seeking to fundamentally change commercial aviation.  Going back to our Trade Union roots, we may wish to adopt the French approach – no automation without negotiation!

While preparing for ADC I came across a quote from the philosopher Marshal McLuhan, the person who coined the phrase “Global Village”.  A village shaped by electronic media, where the form of communication changes thought itself.

He also said,

“The global village is a place of arduous interfaces and very abrasive situations.”

Looking forward, I hope that the global village will be a place of “arduous interfaces” but less of the “abrasive situations”.  Either way, let us focus on building  ‘Our Shared Future.’