BRIAN STRUTTON A job well done As BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton leaves the organisation, we take a look back at his achievements By David Keen, Log Board member or the first time in more than 13 months, I became airborne, only to sadly experience the present-day scenario of depressed air travel. My outbound journey involved walking through an eerily quiet Manchester Airport (my former operating base), boarding, and taking a short flight to LHR with no delay for holding, on a quarter-full British Airways A321. Then followed disembarkation into a vast and deserted Terminal 5. My mood was sombre, witnessing British aviations dramatic decline first hand. It was not uplifted by my short ride on an empty red bus down a traffic-free Bath Road towards the current BALPA HQ. Walking past a modern quarantine hotel with yellowjacketed security outside was most dispiriting. Yet, a few hours later, on my return journey, my spirits were somewhat elevated as were my hopes for British aviations future after a fascinating discussion, face to face, with BALPAs outgoing General Secretary, Brian Strutton. His five-year tenure was originally planned to finish in early March 2021, but because of the challenges of the present environment, he agreed to stay on until the end of May. Brians achievements since starting at BALPA have been noteworthy, as has been the immense pressure on his professional and family life over this period. I will attempt to summarise some of what I gleaned from this modest and insightful man, given that we will soon be bidding him farewell. All change Our General Secretary was head-hunted for his current assignment in late 2015, with part of his remit to become a change agent for the organisation. Brian had a respected and lengthy track record in trade unionism, having started his professional life, after graduation, as a trainee actuary and working his way up to the position of National Secretary of the GMB Union. Effectively, then, we recruited a professional trade union person instead of an inside candidate from our world of aviation. Although being a recognised and well-respected pilot body, BALPA was never fully considered a professional trade union with teeth, certainly not by airline senior management. The Association had grown organically over many years in proportion with the growth of civil aviation. It generally enjoyed a solid image with its main negotiation partners namely, the airlines, the CAA and the government transport departments. In recent years, however, aviation has evolved to become a much tougher business, led by prominent and hard-nosed figureheads at airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Virgin Atlantic and, of course, British Airways. Willie Walsh, now president of IATA, describes the industry as brutally competitive. The press and TV, too, had developed a loud and critical voice, enhanced by regular complaints on social media. Financial penalties had been put in place for flight delays, overbooking, and the like. A professional trade unionist was needed, one with a strong background in negotiation and collective bargaining, and with appropriate experience to deal with government, the civil service, senior airline management and, of course, pilot employees. When I put it to Brian that pilots were a special case, being a unique category of professionals, I was gently corrected. In fact, his experience in the 1990s for the Gas Managers Association was very similar, in that he was responsible for overseeing governance, financial and legal issues for 4,500 highly skilled people. In many aspects, professional pilots are little different from many other professional people, although their job is considered highprofile and somewhat glamorous. Moving forward to his time at BALPA, I learned that Brian experienced the best and worst times of the job in 2019. Before that, in late 2017, the pilots pay dispute with Thomas Cook Airways came to a head, and was then resolved rapidly and in favour of the employees a resounding success. As one of the many striking pilots there, I can personally vouch for that. Although Brian chose not to maintain a high profile, his behind-the-scenes work advising and guiding the Crew Council, contributing to the NEC and conducting direct negotiations with airline management was profoundly effective. Two years later, matters reached a head with both UK-based Ryanair pilots and their colleagues at British Airways. After lines were drawn, tough negotiations with uncompromising airline bosses soon followed. In both cases, resolutions were reached before any lasting damage had taken place. Again, the steady hand of BALPAs General Secretary was instrumental in bringing matters to a successful close. However, the disgraceful and unfair personal publicity aimed at Brian Strutton and his wife during this period has clearly left lingering pain, stoically accepted by Brian as an occupational hazard for himself, but clearly unacceptable for his family, who were equally targeted. The explicit media coverage was evidently orchestrated by certain airline PR departments, and must have been sanctioned by their management. This type of public harassment is rarely, if ever, experienced by any of us during our careers, and nor should it be. A professional trade unionist was needed, with a strong background in negotiation and collective bargaining Mixed opinions It should be said that Brian has not enjoyed unanimous support from our members. This is hardly surprising. In my own experience at Thomas Cook and bmi, I heard extremes of opinion from colleagues ranging from total support to utter castigation of the incumbent by senior management of these airlines. It could never have been an easy task to represent all wishes and opinions in such a motley crew as airline pilots, and never will be. As an example, the issues of European FTLs (flight time limitations) are regularly cited by disenchanted members as an issue that should have been solved by BALPA. Brian reasonably pointed out that these are problems to be addressed and resolved at senior government level, with an input from BALPA, of course. Our message has been consistent throughout. Brian shared with me that he had been reading some historic issues of The Log, and discovered that an early publication addressed the thorny issue of pilot fatigue! This was more than 50 years ago, underlining one of the longer-term issues that BALPA and its present General Secretary have still been battling with in recent times. Pressure on pilots pay, along with terms and conditions, have been regular themes that will no doubt continue. Some things never change. Brians view on the parlous state of play with aviation is that we are now at its lowest point, but that resurgent growth is soon to commence. Even so, he thinks it may take up to four years before the airline business is back where it was in early 2020. Sadly for UK pilots, the difficulties will continue with the licensing limitations, whereby Europe and the US remain a closed shop. Brian disagreed when I put it to him that BALPA held some responsibility for this situation. The reality, he explained, is that the UK government simply chooses not to support its well-developed aviation sector in the same way that the US and European governments do with their own. This has been obvious to many of us in the profession since the 1990s. The British governments attitude of permitting open competition in aviation, which emanated from both parties when in power, has never been reciprocated by other major countries. The massive subsidies and loans for Lufthansa and, more recently, KLM/Air France are clear evidence of this. Selection and employment of foreign pilots in countries outside the UK has become increasingly rare. Brian pointed out that this situation, of permitting foreign involvement and ownership, is by no means limited to the airline industry. I believe this has now become very clear to us, simply by looking at the overseas-owned sectors of energy, utilities, aircraft manufacture and, of course, the motor industry. Nevertheless, he has continued to do battle in endeavouring to create a more level playing field for our members, with some success. Brian has been instrumental in re-energising BALPA over the past five years. This progress must continue Good job We all owe Brian Strutton a big vote of thanks. He has had a major hand in streamlining our organisation, a much-needed reaction to the financial stringencies forced by the COVID-19 epidemic. Brian has been involved in making necessary job losses as well as extensive budget cuts at BALPA, and I was able to witness a deep and sincere feeling of regret that exists within him. The office itself, which currently has a skeleton staff, used to be a busy, vibrant and enjoyable place to work. At this time, with many staff working from home, it feels rather soulless. Nevertheless, Brian commutes to work in Hounslow most days, along with a small team of people. Sadly, the leased building that provides BALPAs home base will soon be vacated, as the union locates to more cost-effective premises in which to operate. This is just another area in which our General Secretarys expertise and experience has been brought to bear. In handing over the reins of General Secretary, Brian Strutton is passing on the responsibility for running a modern and effective pilots union. Many issues are ongoing, the most significant being protection of members positions and support for appropriate pay and benefits, both of which are under serious threat in the present climate. Since his appointment, Brian has been instrumental in reshaping and re-energising BALPA over the past five years. This progress must continue, despite the serious existential problems facing aviation. Brian is not leaving the field completely he intends to continue his role in FlightCrew Risk Solutions. Outside aviation, he will be redirecting some of his energies towards the complexities of chess coaching for young and upcoming players. Somehow, this most cerebral and demanding intellectual sport one of Brians early passions seems an appropriate interest for this thoughtful and analytic man. (However, his long-term support of Chelsea FC demonstrates that you can never completely judge a book by its cover!) For his devotion to the high-profile tasks we have all witnessed, for his success in growing membership and recognition of BALPA, and for his committed involvement in many behind-the-scenes activities, we offer our out-going General Secretary our sincere appreciation.