Gentlemen,
I do agree that I was fortunate enough to be at home flying for the national carrier, and we did have a union to back us up.
What I want to pass on to you, is that there is no greener grass on the other side, and even if it looks greener it is probably because of more s..t on the ground to make it look so. Leaving for other pastures is not the way either. It is so easy to unite in one cause, being our wellbeing, our pockets, our retirement. No one will go away eating Emirates memmories, and A380, or A340s. My chilrden and now my grand children can expect some help from me, because we looked after our pockets collectively, and not individualy.
There are things pilots can do at Emirates even with no Union. Do not accept training positions, TCE, TCI, CRM etc. positions. Do not go forward for Recruitment positions. When they ask you why, you do not have to be forthcoming, state the obvious. You are quite happy to fly the line as a normal pilot, and only if the total package improves, will you consider more responsibilities. You believe that it is an enourmous responsibility to go forward and you need not just a better individual package(Training, Examiner), but a total package. As long as guys think they can get ahead and do a TCE, or a TCI and then leave, there is no future for anyone in Emirates. Realistically, no one will leave, and those who will, they will be doing at a great expense to seniority, family relocation, and a new start with different **** different place. The only way to win is to be steadfast and fight. Fighting is not just yelling and screaming or burning fuel. Fighting means respecting your colleagues and not accepting positions which are required by Emirates to continue its ambitious expansion. Make all pilots a vital part of the airline, and show management that we are united, and we are needed, not just for the day to day operation, but because if we do not agree to do training, and if we do not agree to do recruiting, then they will expand their aircraft on the apron.
Just so that must of you know the going rate for 777 trainers around the world, a six month contract goes for about 30000 US $ a month. I cannot see Emirates getting many of them...
Cheers
To those FOs willing to leave, I say do not waste your energy for the wrong cause, put it to work here were it matters most for you...