Saigor
AAVA - ATCO Additional Voluntary Attendance (think that's the right way round!). Basically an overtime shift.
fisbangwollop -
You're being a bit harsh on people who do the odd AAVA just because you choose not to. You have over 30 years in the company? That makes me conclude you are at the top of the scale.. it's more understandable for someone at the top of the scale, who has done a lot of years, not to want to do AAVA's, especially as the money you get for them is not really an overtime rate at your salary.
However for someone who is only 2 or 3 pay spines up the scale, it's actually a nice little boost to their wage.
Why should people stop doing AAVA's just because you don't agree with them?
I fully agree that if, and when, the pension issue comes to a head then everyone should seriously think about working to contract for a fortnight - i.e. no AAVA's etc, but until it comes to a head, why should people lose out? AAVA's are a choice and if a concerted effort to not do them is deemed a good way to demonstrate how the company needs goodwill, then that should be done en-masse, with a specific aim. Not doing them anytime for the hell of it will achieve nothing.
Yahoo
Yes the company does seem to needlessly waste money on functions etc that the majority of coalface workers never get to see, but it does not waste enough to afford to pay us a whopping pay rise. Pensions are a big burden on any company - for an employee no to realise that is short sighted.
I would love a big pay rise and an intact pension - however I truly believe that both cannot be achieved this time round. We get paid fairly well, whatever band unit we are at (though all of us always want more) - the pension should be the thing we try (and succeed) to keep alive.
What NATS needs to understand is that there are many ANSPs out there who are short of staff - just as we are. However in recent months many of these ANSP's have greatly increased their wages etc.
The reason many people stay with NATS is because of the pension; at the moment going to Dubai etc is not financially worth it long term because of lack of pension etc. If our pension gets eroded, more and more people will realise that they will be better off elsewhere.
NATS have a history of being short sighted - just look at the way training stops and start because one year we may be fairly flush with staff, but chop rates and retirements are never taken into account, nor is the lead time to train someone from scratch. NATS need to realise that if they screw with the pension, there will be an increase in the amount of qualified people leaving.
As an aside and in no way am I suggesting this... but if we allow new joiners to be given a worse pension, they may well get their own back when the new pension scheme members are in the majority. A cynical and morally corrupt ATCO might just start 'chopping' for pension security to keep the amount of new people in low numbers. A very possible scenario when you consider the actual way training takes place - much of it is subjective, especially during live OJTI.
What we and the union need to ensure is that we do not get to that stage. One NATS one pension is the Unions own motto, maybe as union members we need to be more proactive and seek out our union reps - not to hassle them, but to let them know that there is a huge number of us who will not take this lying down. If we just sit by and not make our feelings heard now, we may end up having to take a vote on choices which are far from ideal.