Flower –
Some very interesting points there. First time I have ever seen an admittance of the “natural arrogance” we now regularly see in the ex-cadets, and more especially in the newly-validated ATCOs joining the Unit for local validation training. Also a surprise to see that ATSAs were also exhibiting the us-and-them syndrome – were they ex-military/Civil Service or cadet failures themselves?
I, too, support the concept of local recruitment, especially from experienced operational aviation personnel. I am also glad that the Company has a human (compassionate?) side, and sees fit to try to retain and employ persons who haven’t made the grade. However, this should not be confused with the idea that all ex-cadets should automatically be considered for ATSA posts. As I said previously, their heart is not in it, and they will inevitably jump ship at the first opportunity. It is this attitude that I strongly object to. The Company knows it goes on, but does nothing about it – and neither does the Union. All of it is achieved at the expense of an ATSA workforce which is already restricted in its promotion/transfer prospects, and looks certain to be facing dramatic change in the near future. Small wonder that some of us feel undermined and undervalued!
I do not wish to deter DinD from pursuing a successful ATC career. However, one can see from his original posting exactly where his priorities lie, and his pursuance of an ATSA position (hopefully using the Company’s policy of ex-cadet retention) is only a means of remaining within the Company until such an opportunity arises, either in or out of NATS. As I have said, this will be done at the expense of another ATSA, who may also be waiting for such a vacancy.
For those of you out there reading this who are waiting for a transfer/promotion opportunity, just remember – it might be YOUR opportunity that gets given away to an “under-achiever” on this basis - and you probably won't even know anything about it.
As an aside, and in reply to niteflite01 – the grapevine reports today that the ATSA pay award is to basically mirror the ATCO 15%, but with strings. Primarily, 8% rise, plus a further 7% conditional on our acceptance of changes to national and local WPs, tied in with 85 ATSA redundancies, the savings thus generated being put into the cashpot to be used to partly fund the ATCO pay rise!! I am already practising putting my X in the “NO” box just in case this turns out to be true!! What a f*****g nerve! Union allegedly has a meeting tomorrow, and maybe we shall learn more after that. Always a danger in listening to rumour, I admit, but it is more than is coming from the PCS hierarchy – care to comment, guys?
