Well, what a disappointment! Only about 50 pilots turned up out of about 250 based in Aberdeen (approx 30 from Scotia and 20 from Bristow). Basically only 20% of the workforce were prepared to attend. OK, some were working, some were away and didn't see the notices, but basically it just shows that the so-called unitedness to get something done was not achieved one little bit.
There was also a lot of hot-air going around with lots of rumours which were blatantly untrue (Scotia going for a 50% pay rise for example which was traced down to someone putting that is what they wanted on a questionnaire sent around to all the BALPA members). Rumours like these do not help anyone, and just go to make our case harder to justify in my opinion.
However, there were some good points put forward such as trying to get our salaries put at the low-cost airlines level (by low cost it was meant at the RyanAir, easyJet, Go scales). Companies would not be able to go to that sort of salary in one go, but could progress to achieve these levels after, say 3 years. This could be achievable by both companies because they can then sort out their budget and contract details. The scales would then match these airlines.
However, both comapnies should be made to realise that they need to start off with a good message to their workforce by giving a decent pay rise to prevent the drift away either from one company to the other, or to the airlines.
This is the best (and probably only time) that both work forces have to achieve an improvement in both pay and conditions. The feeling was let it go this year and we may never get a chance again!
Evidently, someone in Bristow this morning put around a letter demanding that their Company Council go for a 50% pay rise. Personally I think he is dreaming as no company will even start to talk at that sort of request. Perhaps a more sensible way to go is to start at about 25-30% but also get in an agreement that over a period of time e.g. 3 years, that salaries are matched with the low-cost airlines, as I said earlier. However, good luck to them if they can achieve it. I watch with interest.
Anyway, I was disappointed with the turn out and it just makes me think that many pilots are happy with what they have got. Putting around false hopes and promises doesn't help though, nor does a lot of hot air without some form of action to back it up!
One final point, to whoever set this up, why wasn't a room booked rather than filling up a bar with lots of other people? I understand that one kind soul scrounged a room from the hotel that was spare. This at least meant that we could all talk without "outsiders" listening in.