OOO
In my view the main difference lies within us pilots and unions! We are unable to UNITE and ACT, our only power is strike or sick day. As professionals it is our duty now to react strongly to what is going on within MK: we have to stop this mess before it is too late. We should already have reacted against Russ derostering but we did not, shame on us!!!
Too many of us only whinge, whine and complain. "I will not allow this to happen", "I am not operating that flight", "Let the Chief Pilot go and do it", "Why doesn't the DFO fly one of these" etc etc etc. We HAVE heard it all. We all complain. We all talk. And talk is all we do. I agree with OOO, what have we done for Russ? For once, someone stood up for ALL of us, and instead of TALKING, he ACTED. Result: they shoot Russ in flames, and we still get calls from the CPs asking us for favours "You know, this flight will be grounded. Please operate it. Arrange with X/Y/Z for any flight requets/dyas off request/ your leave will be OK" Followed by a silent wink, wink... We oblige and let ourselves down. I learnt an expression in Mauritius: "Rodderr boote" which literally transaltes as a "someone who seeks some sort of advantage/gain"
As a group of highly skilled professionals, with hi IQs (we have to keep proving that all the time, especially in MK!!!) we have NO guts! Expect NO glory either, then. We did not only let Russ down and failed to support him, we let ourselves down, and failed to support not only one another but ourselves individually. We all ARE "Rodderr bootes". It is very easy to criticise, we all have mouths to feed, nappies to buy, electricity bills and old parents. But if WE don't stand for oursleves and those who stand for us, WHO will? (Russ did! Did we for him?)
Food for thought
