To understand how the Pilots who lost their jobs in 89 feel and why it still hurts, you have to imagine the effects. Loss of employment and income. Watching others take 'their' jobs while still in an industrial dispute. In some cases health problems or marriage breakdown and family breakups. Having to leave Australia, home or family in search of employment; or losing aviation as a career altogether. Loss of commradeship and friends. It goes on and on. If you weren't there it will be hard to understand. And this wasn't during a war so the comparisons are hardly relevant. This was peactime Australia.. .The pain was inflicted by both politicians and aviation colleagues. If you have suffered the consequences of such a saga; forgetting is not always just a casual choice. At least the current group of pilots faced with career decisions can take comfort in the knowledge that only economic factors were to blame. In this changed financial environment of 2002 it is a force that everyone may be forced to confront at some stage.