First of all, to all that offered sympathy, I thank you.. .For those that were er...shall we say a bit tactless, You asked for contempt, you got it!
To straighten a few things out, There are approx 100 staff at MAN now in possesion of "the letter".. .The jobs on offer number about 20, that leaves about 80 with no option but to take the severance.. .That is Compulsary in all but name.
If it is true that the pilots, through BALPA, funded the FEs better offer, then why have the company refused to negotiate a similar deal with the engineers through the AEEU/MSF (now AMICUS)?
There are other departments,(tug drivers, dispatchers, check in etc), working O/T at MAN that obviously require more personel, again this is "not for negotiation".
Why?
It takes years to train a licensed engineer, (longer than a pilot?) and almost as long to train an unlicensed technician, but a matter of weeks/months to train in these other areas. Surely it makes sense to hang on to the people that you have invested a lot of money in ready for the upturn.. .This in no way demeans the jobs of others it is just a fact.
The company are trying to have their cake and eat it when you consider the situation regarding relocation.. .If it is within the BA group surely it qualifies for the relocation package as stipulated in the employment guide.. .If it is not within the BA group then the severance package must apply, which way is it?
The handfull of jobs at BHX are a JOB SWAP with no relocation, I know some in the south think that "up north is just up north" but relocating to BHX will cost!!. .There are engineers willing to go, whether it be Fraggle Rock, BHX or GLA but they just cannot afford it. Negative equity still exists in many areas, I cannot sell up buy a new house on a lower wage and still be paying off what I owe from the last place. It is economics, nothing more.. .The same applies to jobs at LHR, but we are not even being offered those!. .Similarly, the job swap option is only available at BHX, Why?
As for the unpaid leave, part time working etc that was offered to everyone in the company post 11/9 that has been ruled out for all at BA MAN Engineering.
Why?
The staff at MAN are not being beligerent, pig headed or bloody minded.. .They are just fed up with being treated like provincial yokels "who do not understand"(words of IR manager Karen E at a recent meeting at MAN).
By the way, The original announcement that the MAN hangar was to close and that a total of 120 were surplus was made on 5TH September 2001.
Spleen vented, thank you!. . <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0">
[ 23 January 2002: Message edited by: HOVIS ]</p>