Posted by wrenchbender
You say that as an LAE at BA, you earn 10K less than an engineer at another airline??? That is a heck of a large difference! May I ask why? What's happening over there???
Good question. I would think a £10K difference is about the high end of the differential, although there are probably some companies do better than that. It appears that the basic pay for an LAE in BA is around £5K PA ,on average, lower than the competition to start with. Since there's no overtime and the shift pay isn't brilliant, by the end of the financial year, other outfit's earnings are way in front.
Why is this so? Three reasons. Firstly, managers in BA get bonus pay based on criteria that they are set to meet during the year by their senior manager. The criteria will involve cutting costs. As with all poor management, the easiest way to cut costs is to simply not pay as much or cut benefits, rather than attempt genuine improvements in efficiency. Secondly, The union is largely unlicensed or "A" licensed members so you can guess which way votes go. That's if the union hasn't already gone behind your back and signed the bit of paper anyway. Hence the recent removal of the convener, who should have been boiled in oil but instead got a pay off and early retirement from the company. A pity, as I think he might have suffered an accident involving a piece of rope and a gibbet when he went back to the shop floor. Thirdly, people are just plain apathetic.
Why don't people leave? Apathy. And, there isn't a great deal of work about, so any job, even a crap one, at least pays the mortgage until something else comes along. Long term, BA are committed to reducing engineering numbers, so they are happy with the current situation as it is an incentive for people to leave. Looking at the aircraft, it seems to me that cutting engineering numbers and lowering morale has a negative effect on maintenance standards. However, senior managers don't certify aircraft as fit to fly, and in the event of an accident there's sufficient insulation and scapegoats (i.e. Licensed Engineers) to ensure that they don't cop a charge of corporate manslaughter. Anyway, if you've ever gone to one of the management briefings by the end of it you would swear that we worked in the most safe and efficient company on earth. Presentation skills are something that BA managers strive to excel in, rather than excellence in maintenance. So, it looks like nothing's going to change unless we get off our rears and start making ourselves heard. And that is why I felt I had to post on the issue of joining BALPA. Joining another group with a different agenda is a nonsense, and would be warmly welcomed by the company as another way to divide and conquer.