Pickled: I think that is untrue. The vote to bring in PP34 and put all new pilots onto it was voted through to keep PP24 and to prevent bmi being set up as a lower cost subsidiary at LHR. The reality is a lower cost subsidiary was set up within. Regardless of PP24/34 the BALPA chairman summed it up very well. The current pay structure was devised in a time of retirement at 55 and defined benefit or final salary contributions. This very set up is detrimental to DC pensions. What’s changed? 2006 retirement age, closure of NAPS and the current situation.
Inadvertently the % pay awards has further highlighted this issue. Pay at the top has run away from that at the bottom. When you consider a very significant proportion of LH captains are on the top pay and will be for a good many years to come you can see the issue. The fleets will become static with nothing other than more pilots joining the top pay bracket.
Answer to this problem. Don’t drag others down from the top, but have those at the top pull the other up. That has not and will not happen. This was voted in by those up there. During the NAPS negotiations it was stated that BARP was a unacceptable pension scheme and not fit for purpose. The problem was it had been deemed fit for purpose for all those that were on it since it’s inception, just not fit for NAPS members.
Through all these pay changes and negotiations in the past 18 months we still have pilots who are not on BA pay, they do not receive flight pay either. Where has the support been for them? Why are white tails who paid for their own training on reduced salaries? Why are some bmi pilots not paid flight pay after all the negotiations that have been conducted on pay?
The above is fact rather than opinion but I have yet to hear a good defence of the current structure. One thing is for sure though, any change will not be a cause to celebrate for anyone. Nobody will see a pay rise in the short term or over the long term.
I feel very fortunate to have a job, I am content with the deal I have and I do not wish to see anyone stripped of their income. I would however like to see those who are on DC pensions receive a salary structure that is more beneficial to that arrangement.
The problem with all of this is most of us (me included) do not know what went on behind the scenes, what leverage and pressure was applied. It may well be despite the above that it was the best available option.