Interesting times have come around again at EK. Whilst I believe that Flt Ops management have been instrumental in convincing the higher level management to take a more mature approach to flight safety (i.e. a screw up out on line does not result in a final warning or dismissal) they have found a new avenue to stoke fear in the pilot contingent - the attendance monitoring, or competency, warning.
This comes, in an unpublished and unverifiable manner, by the way of 4 levels, a chat and then level 1 through 3. This is all related to sickness, or in EK computer speak, ‘attendance’.
If one has been off sick for a predetermined number of days (the rumour is 6) within the last 12 months, whether certified by an AME or not, then the process begins. They are currently handing these warnings out like sweeties. Examples such as: pre-approved time off for surgery by the company, resulting in a warning for absence 6 months later. Industrial injury whilst at work with associated time off, a warning some months later. With no exaggeration, 75% of the colleagues I have flown with, or talked to, the past month are somewhere on this scale. I understand that level 2 delays the command, and subsequent sickness whilst on level 3 (EVEN IF AME CERTIFIED!) results in dismissal.
The hypocrisy of approving time off for surgery and then following up with a warning letter for absence is breath taking. So much so, that one can only conclude that this is a missive from up high.
So whilst the merits and strength of BALPA can be debated as nauseum, the simple protection of rights in the workplace by virtue of legislation is something that just does not exist here.
This, IMHO, is the next latent threat and hole in the Helvetic Fromage that is institutional in working in this part of the world. The problem is, that the pay has not kept up with the mercenary ideals of those who have come here. Ergo, the cake has gone, as has the spoon.
At least the rosters have eased off a bit....
Be warned.