Q I was interested in an article you wrote on campaigning and organising members within BALPA. Our Company Council has run several initiatives, and we want to organise an event for members and non-members. Have you any tips for event planning? Like campaigning, the success of any event is down to the preparation, research and planning in advance. Here are just a few points to consider that could apply to a union meeting, a recruitment stall in a lobby or a social event: Timing – will the majority of your target audience be able to attend? Check rosters and dates that would allow for a high number of pilots to be present. enue – where will be convenient for most of your members? Check where the majority of members live. Parking is often a problem, and hotels located at airports can be hugely expensive. Spreading the word – use BALPA newsletters, flyers, newsflash bulletins and text messaging. Let people know as far in advance as possible, and keep a steady stream of reminders. Make use of posters and social media. Refreshments – consider whether having refreshments will encourage people to attend. Relevance – most important of all, make sure that the event is based around the real concerns of members. INDUSTRIAL ISSUES KNOW YOUR RIGHTS We look at flexible working requests, redundancy and tips for event planning By Terry Brandon, Q BALPA National Officer Flexible working is potentially an option for pilots who are finding their ability to work affected by illness or disability. The Government white paper, ‘Improving lives: the future of work, health and disability’, says offering periods of flexible working may help people to manage or recover from a health condition. As most flexible working requests, if agreed, are a permanent variation, you are advised to ensure that any temporary variations are mutually agreed if you are likely to return to full-time work. Q I am having difficulty securing employment because of a ‘reference issue’. How can I find out what has been written? An employer is not obliged to provide a reference but, if they do, they have a legal obligation to make sure that it is true, accurate, fair and not misleading. A reference includes personal data protected by the General Data Protection Regulation. Any request for a copy should be directed to the recipient, not the giver of the reference. This is because data protection laws contain an exemption for the giver of a confidential work reference. Q I have been put ‘at risk’ of redundancy, although I do not think my employer has started the consultation exercise early enough. Is there a legal minimum timetable for consultation? Under section 188(1A) of the Trade Union Labour Relation Consolidation Act, your employer is obliged to commence consultation in ‘good time’. The act also sets out the minimum requirements with which an employer must comply: For proposals to dismiss as redundant 100 or more employees over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must begin at least 45 days before the first redundancy dismissal takes effect; and For proposals to dismiss as redundant 20 or more employees over a period, but fewer than 100 (over a period of 90 days or less), the minimum consultation period is 30 days. Would using a flexible working request support my need for reducing my working days for health reasons? If you have a question you’d like to put to Terry or any of our other BALPA experts, email TheLog@balpa.org