Join Balpa

The Government attempt to curb the right of transport workers to strike received Royal Assent in July 2023. The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act grants the Secretary of State for Transport sweeping powers to set minimum service levels during strikes, removing or curtailing their effect.

This is unacceptable to BALPA and the entire trade union movement: the Bill must be repealed.

BALPA members overwhelmingly support the right for a union to listen to its members and, when they demand and vote for it, strike. This is not because BALPA members are eager to strike, but because they know that without a credible threat of industrial action, their association would not be as successful as it is in day to day negotiations with employers.

Issues including safety, scheduling, lifestyle and pay are all seriously on the negotiating table as a result of that credible threat. Therefore, collectively with the TUC, BALPA fought the proposals as part of a far more effective, larger group.

BALPA’s Honorary President Lord Balfe regularly spoke in the House of Lords on behalf of BALPA’s members, arguing against “the weakness and stupidity of the Bill“.

Earlier this year, BALPA’s former General Secretary Martin Chalk joined the TUC in hosting a briefing for MPs in the House of Commons, alongside trade union policy experts, encouraging MPs to support an evidenced based approach to resolving industrial conflict, not these backwards and doggedly ideologically motivated measures.

BALPA’s Position

The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill seriously harms the right for workers to strike.

This is unacceptable to BALPA and the entire trade union movement: it must be repealed.

More Campaigns.

Reduced Crew Operations: #SafetyStartsWith2

Safety Starts With 2 BALPA pilots believe the safety of every airline flight always starts with at least two well trained, qualified and rested pilots on the flight deck. Removing pilots from the flight deck is a gamble with safety. That is why BALPA is joining pilots from around the globe to engage in a […]

Protect trainee pilots from flight school collapses

Following the collapse of several flights schools, resulting in some students losing tens of thousands of pounds, BALPA is campaigning to protect trainee pilots from similar situations.

Fighting the Strikes Bill

Government is trying to curb the right to strike for transport workers. Under new proposals, the Secretary of State for Transport would gain sweeping powers to set minimum service levels during strikes, removing or curtailing their effect.

This is unacceptable to BALPA and the entire trade union movement.

Supporting Pilot Licensing

The new and unfair post-Brexit licencing system means UK pilot licences have been seriously degraded in value and utility. The new state of play has actively prevented UK pilots, including those made redundant due to Covid-19, from securing UK jobs.

BALPA continues to campaign for a reciprocal Flight Crew and Engineer Licence agreement between the UK and EU, which would benefit all UK airlines. This would address the imbalance following Brexit and the Government must address it urgently.

Environment and Sustainability

BALPA wants to see a thriving future for the aviation sector in the UK, one that provides jobs for our members and mobility for our population. Yet we are in the midst of a climate crisis and have a moral and legal obligation to ensure our future is a sustainable one.

Fighting Pilot Fatigue

Fatigue has for many years been a worrying issue for pilots and it continues to be a huge concern across the industry today. Pilots have told BALPA they believe fatigue is now the biggest single threat to flight safety.

Pilot Pensions

Pilots feel the current pension system – including the existing tax relief framework – works. They want stability and fear any changes could undermine the system and put people off saving for their future.

Protecting Pilot Mental Health

In the awake of the Germanwings tragedy there has been huge media interest in the topic of pilot health. It’s a topic BALPA takes seriously and is working to address. BALPA understands the need to ensure those suffering mental health issues, who are in safety critical jobs, must be identified, given support and monitored to ensure they do not pose a safety risk.