Easy - Pay Rise

[Norman Stanley Fletcher]

I do not want in any way to disparage the ex-CC members who all did their best I believe. I do, however, want to make a point of how impressed I am with the current CC - none of whom had any significant part in the contraversial issues of the past (loss of FOs' loyalty bonus and other conditions, TRSS, 5/2-5/4 etc). These are good people who simply want to the best on behalf of us all. If we choose not to give them clout they will not be able to achieve all they might otherwise do.

Until recently I was one of those who had heard the rumours and basically decided that BALPA was full of self-seeking individuals who had conspicuously failed to represent all members of the pilot community. I simply do not know the fine detail of what happened in the past, but I know that right now the new CC are fighting hard for us. Right now they are in difficult negotiations with the company, and seem to be a long way from getting any sort of agreement. It is absolutely vital we give them every chance to win a deal that is good for us and good for the company. We all know that there are huge problems with our management - but nothing is a 'done deal'. Cultures can change and the way they change is to 'speak softly and carry a big stick' to quote Theodore Roosevelt! The 'speaking softly' will come in the form of constructive dialogue with our managers to change the way they do business. The 'big stick' will come in the form of high BALPA membership and thus ultimately the credible threat of industrial action in the event of us being stuffed. There is simply no other way. I frankly do not relish paying £56 per month and have had to remove a large chunk of my private medical insurance to pay for it. Nonetheless, I feel in all conscience I can do nothing else.

I am unashamedly one of those who really likes working for easyJet. As said previously, there is so much that is right here. Indeed our success is such that easyJet are about to announce a tidy profit for last year which will inevitably result in much popping of champagne, mutual backslapping and big bonuses for people in top positions. I cannot sit idly by and watch the progressive erosion of our terms and conditions while big bonuses are handed out to our senior managers and board members. Surprisingly enough, the high fuel price will somehow not affect the level of those 'well earned' bonuses! A strong BALPA will ensure that those who actually did the work to obtain that profit also receive their share of easJet's continued success.

I want to fight for pensions that will not lead to poverty in our old age, private health care for all pilots, best rostering practices, no DECs as long as there are suitable FOs to promote, equitable leave allocation, transparent base transfer arrangements and a host of other issuses. I intend to play my part in making easyJet the most successful company around. Success to me means creating the safest, financially stable airline possible as well as building an environment where all employees share in the profitability their hard work helped to create. One of the cornerstones of that success will be a substantially increased membership of BALPA. I would encourage all those who have never joined, or possibly even left through disillusionment, to reconsider their position and give our new CC the support it needs at this critical stage in our company's development.