A lot of the new pilots of this generation don't see it quite the same way as you. This is 2004 post 9/11 and whilst a lot of you reminisce about the good old days when flying was a gentlemans club, a great profession with two sector days and fat pay checks, people from my generation have been born into a totally different world and vastly different industry.
We're not all Atlantic Barons sitting on vast wads of cash creaming it in! Most of us have our debts just like you! Flying has never been a Gentlemans club in the 6 years I've been flying with "two sector days and fat paychecks." We work hard, damn hard and don't wish to see our terms & conditions heading South.
The unions cannot be allowed to hold to ransom the airlines by encouraging militant action if their PRIVILEGED members don't get what they want, which is to the detriment of the business model and shareholders.
I don't think anyone wants to hold a company to ransom but look how O'Leary treats his workforce on the issue of a union. Employees don't wish to go back to the ways of the mill owner and his workers in the 18th century which you seem to think is the only outcome. Look how O'Leary is contemptuous of his workforce. He has a disregard for anyone but himself.
It is true you are already among the highest paid pilots in europe and the reason guys like me relish the opportunity to join Ryan is not the money as much as the career potential. you guys want to have your cake and eat it.
To my knowledge 120,000 euros a year is not that highly paid for a Captain with the amount of time put in.Why are you joining Ryanair? What long term career do you think you'll have if you wish for T&C's to continue heading down or are you there for the experience only and then going to move on? By eroding T&C's at Ryanair it'll also affect the rest of the industry, so no gain there.
What MOL said I have encoutered numerous times, as have most 21st century employees in jobs far less privileged than the ones you hold..... "If you don't want to do it their will be plenty of others willing to"
But the barriers to entry in this market are far different to the ones in most other industries. Replacing us with cheap labour is not as simple as it sounds. You know yourself the problems encountered in getting licences, rating etc. To replace all of Ryanairs pilots would be a monmumental task that would probably see Ryanair fold rather than continue. Which nobody wants.
True, unions have sent airlines under. See what the BCA did for Sabena but the BCA's attitude was far removed from BALPA's attitude.
remember this when you squabble over a few extra thousand on your already massive salary. It may serve you better to look at all the people below you with a lot less who want your jobs.
Just remember that when your a Captain servicing a large mortgage on a house with a couple of kids when some youngster says he'll do your job for less and then see how you feel.
there are loads of people on the interview jobs and sponsorship forum waiting to fill them.
And there are loads waiting to fill those shoes who don't want the T&C going down, they only want them to get better. Why sell yourself short?
"I don't care about the T&Cs of other employees as long as I get my break"
I don't quite get that Scotty as they will be the very same T&C's that I will be a part of
Well in your previous post you called us all whingers and assumed that we only flew 2 sector days for loads of money. That we should get back to reality and work harder for less money as there'd be people like you coming up behind us to to the job for less (a viscious spiral if you ask me) so naturally T&C's would go down.
People want and are happy with the share options when they're making money, if the value hadn't slipped by a third in recent weeks would this thread even exist?
Share options are fine but they aren't taken into account for mortgage purposes and aren't included in pensionable salary.
just because my outlook and perspective on this issue is different, that has nothing to do with how I perform and interact.
I disagree, you've already shown that you're perfectly willing to climb over anyone who gets in your way to achieve your goals whatever the consequences. Doesn't sound like a willing team member to me.
When you do get on the line ask the Captain that you're flying with to move over as you and your buddies are willing to do his job for less and see what his reaction is
The British Coal Industry died not because the workforce or product wasn't good it was because the Polish equivalent was far more financially viable. Major corporations call centres are all going to India, again, not because our workers are not professional but we are not as economically competitive. In May this year 10 eastern european countries join the EU, many of whom will have pilots that when JAA certified will be able to be more cost effective, we are all JAA, or equivalent, pilots living in an enlarging EU and we have to be able to compete to survive.
Fortunately you're not comparing like with like! Ryanair has a history of bringing people from Eastern Europe. None of these guys are working in the UK on eastern european rates. How would they survive in such an expensive country? A friends wifes sister (!!) is married to an Algerian. He told me that back in Algeria they look at the state handouts in the UK, convert them into the local currency and assume that in the UK they could live like Kings. When they get here reality sets in.
Do you think everyone in any career in the old EU is going to see there standard of living drop because workers from the east will do it for less? Or do you perhaps think CSA pilots will now say to there employer. Hey I can go and work for easyJet or Ryanair for 120,000 euros, what are you going to do to keep me? The same will go for LOT airlines and the other airlines in the new EU countries. I think the companies in the East have a lot more to worry about from integration then the companies in the West.
I hope the standard of living in the Eastern European countries will improve dramatically over time.
Best of luck getting into Ryanair and in a 3 or 4 years come back and tell us if you still think the same!!!!!
One word of advice though, don't be so vitriolic towards your future colleagues. Remember most of them have trodden the same path as you.