Prickie
A pay rise isn't a bad thing - but in the current state of the company, the pilots should really have had the company bending over backwards and coming up with a deal that benefits US not them.
Flying Fiona seems to have some insider knowledge and claims that it was only Dash crew that voted yes. As the margin was so small, it could be debated whether it was 'fixed' - every crew member that I and others have spoken to voted NO!
The apparent bad feeling between jet and prop - maybe I've just been lucky in my base, but I've never really seen any of this bad feeling. Unfortunately there are some, FF, who like to stir things up and create arguments.
VTOL has hit the nail on the head. It shouldn't have just been about getting a pay-rise. Most people have left because of the ridiculous roster disruptions and inability to plan any sort of life - not even three days in advance let alone 3 weeks.
With lack of crews (where have I seen that before?!?!) the pilot workforce were in the position to be able to ask for pretty much anything. A fair whack for roster changes and unscheduled night-stops would help ease the pain, and with any luck stop crewing/ops changing people so much. Instead, the company want to take 8 days leave off us and give us nothing back, and crews go "Oh thanks"!!!
(Not having a go at crewing/ops - they probably have the toughest job being stuck in the middle of us whiners and the even whinier management!)