Buzz,
I basically agree with you (you know that) but the existing T&D system is flawed. Even the revamped T&D system (with its new interim point without - as far as I know - a job or scale title - is flawed. The system it replaced was even more flawed. To me that seems a good reason to look to a T&D replacement - only by "continuous improvement " can will a fairer system ever be achieved. My personal opinion is that the recent "agreement" (quotes used as I didn't actually agree with it) was a missed opportunity to find something better. And it has caused some divisions amongst the T&D and ex-T&D ATCOs.
Hounslow Harry, you might have missed the point I was (in part) trying to make - I don't expect to earn the same take home pay as the guys at LHR or TC, and I don't expect to earn the same as my colleagues with more experience (and those poor souls who have been unfortunate enough to be my mentor!). (For me) it isn't about cash in pocket. All I would have liked was to be on the same scale (marking time at the bottom of ATCO3 until whatever date I would have progressed to it under the old T&D system would have been more than fine).
Not comparing ATCO2 v ATCO3 worker bee life time earnings, the recent T&D agreement has actually penalised the "most experienced" T&D-ers due to the failure to back date the agreement to date of first validation - I will try to demonstrate:
The new T&D scale was back dated to 31.03.00, and paid in the recent pay - using very rough figures (all "validations" are FIRST validations):
1. PERSON A validates in late 1998 and progresses through T&D until early 2000 - on 31.03.00 is an ATCO3 (by a month or so). Backdating to 1st validation would have paid about £2.5k (very roughly), but payout is zero, nada.
2. PERSON B validates in early 1999 and on 31.03.00 is on the final T&D rung (£21.5pa), but rises to ATCO3 on 03.04.00 - so is due 3 DAYS backpay at £23.5pa (2k difference). Backdating to date of first validation would have also paid about £2.5k - actual pay out is nearer twenty quid!
3. PERSON C validates in early 2000 and is still on T&D point 2 (£19.5pa) on 31.03.00 and thus gets 6 months of back pay calculated on a 4k difference (so about £2k).
I hope I have explained it properly, but the company seems to have penalised those valid longest under T&D and disproportionately rewarded the more recently valid. Certainly that is the main reason why the new T&D scale is unpopular at my unit amongst those who were on the first courses to be signed up to T&D.
I also don't think the new system is an incentive to stay, at least not for soon-to-be ATCO3s (remember, there are TWO interim scales, once for ATCO3 units, one for ATCO2 units) as there are still non-NATS airports paying significantly more to newly valid ATCOs (long term it isn't a winner - I would earn more with NATS over 15 years, but not over the 5 years).
I wish I knew what the solution was, but I don't. And to finish, a positive thought (I'm not a complete "system-kicker") - even with the disparities that I might think exist, not only do I LIKE my job, I'm also earning a lot more than 98% of my school friends!
Cheers
Foo
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