I despair, the ability of some people on this forum to pontificate on topics with which they are so clearly ill acquainted is astounding.
Aer Lingus had 800million euro in the bank before September 11th, it has made an operational profit in every month except October. The pilots are not, OneWorld22, looking for improved pay or conditions. They are fighting to maintain current conditions (very liberal) and current pay (2 rises behind other groups within the airline, effectively giving the company over 11 miilion euro).
Expert external international analysts told Sabena pilots to roll over, the game was up, the company needed what they were asking for. They told us to stand up and resist union brekaing for its own sake. Aer Lingus cant even use the working conditions they have at the moment due to a pathetic weekly (yes weekly) hand written roster.
I could go on but with such prejudice and begruddgery on this site I am struggling to see the point.
Be advised that we, the Aer Lingus pilots are doing everything we can to ascertain the facts, we are making as intelligent decisions as we can and we are taking as much professional advice as we can get. We belive we are not only doing the right thing, but the only thing. 97% on a 92% turnout after unprecedented attendance at union meetings.
I fail to see why my purported aviation colleagues on this forum and elsewhere fail to support us. Damage to Aer Lingus, damage to the working conditions there, to the union, to the pay, to the numbers does benefit to not one of us...