Macc Frustration
A few quotes from NATSNEWS January 2005.
Tiny little column at the bottom of page 2, 'According to the November traffic figures, the biggest annual traffic increase took place at Manchester centre'
Page 9,'Bob Thomson will assume the role of head of ATC/deputy general manager-ScOACC and Prestwick Centre at that point. He will also continue his activities to ensure that Manchester Centre's interests and considerations are effectively represented in all Prestwick Centre activities'-'Director operations Ian Hall told NATS News; "One of Alan's main priorities(Alan Taylor-another new face at Macc), working with Alex Bristol when he takes up the general manager's post at Manchester, will be to establish strong and positive working relationships with staff and managers, and in particular the local trade unions", Admirable sentiment?-same article' he will fulfill this role for a period of ABOUT a year until his retirement'.
So...what's my point? I really can't put my finger on it, but it feels like the steamroller's gearing up again with new managers placed just to 'carry out corporate orders' like closing Macc with as little fuss as possible. How can you commit to staff, managers, unions and the like and address their real concerns and worries when you'll be retiring in 'about' a year. It takes half that time to get to grips with some of the issues raised about Macc on other postings here. New GM? Young ambitious, maybe a good thing...as most ATCO's however our scepticism will take some allaying.
One last thing for the 'If you want the big money (banding) then you have to work the big traffic' southern ATCO comment ( a real comment made) from our latest futile foray into the banding debacle; MACC traffic figures are now on a par with ScOACC, we have taken S29 from LACC, we have taken the East sector airspace from LACC, we are now asked to take more airspace in the S7/IOM proposals from LACC. We ARE taking your traffic, via airspace or capping, sectors that one day justified Band 5 the next day justify Band 4? WE THINK NOT!!
p.s. And we're doing all this with 85 ATCO's from an operational requirement of 105. Sorry for the rant but I believe as a unit...at last our pot is finally beginning to boil.