Tbc:
I'm starting this year with a less confrontational approach to some of these threads on Pprune! Perhaps taking a leaf out of Pprune No1 Fan's 'new look' book!!! Can't guarantee how long it'll last though, especially if this forum gets boring
I generalised when I mentioned monkeys/peanuts. I do not wish to denegrate my poorly paid comrades
You know as well as I do, that low salaries attract less applicants (the better qualified guys begin to realise there are richer pickings elsewhere). Therefore, the choice for that vacancy is limited. By default therefore, the employer ends up with limited options from a 'generally' poorer standard of pilot.
If it wasn't for those mil pilots who apply (knowing their supplemental pensions can buffer them from pathetic salaries), then God only knows what standards we would be wallowing in now.
Look at the direct employment sector and take stock of pilots' real worth - Look after your employees and they (in general) will look after the company.
PS:
Several years ago, a well known service provider of pilots put forward a recommend to the Home Office to lower the entry standard for police pilots, because: "there was a shortage of supply". Luckily some of us got wind of it, so it never saw the light of day. This was a blatant attempt by a commercial specialist pulling the wool over their naive customers. Their aim: lower the standards, more pilots apply, supply now greater than demand: salaries can now be lowered The basic building blocks of economics
Let's keep it in perspective, and tell me if I'm wrong here:
Either:
Police helicopter pilots believe they are worthy of a professional status (equivalent to that of a doctor/accountant/solicitor with many years experience) and should be recompensed accordingly. £37000 is less than that earned by the petrol tanker driver who delivers here monthly).
OR,
Let's get real, folks. At the end of the day, we are white van man (albeit in a mercedes van!) in disguise, doing a laborious and often repetitive job (for some), but still think we are top gun from our mil background, but just can't justify it anymore. In that case the salary says it all!
What do you really think you are worth out there?????
[Not you tbc we all know what you are worth
]
Why should there be a discrepancy between contract and direct employment salaries, which is the real world?