Potkettleblack,
If an airline poaches a pilot who is bonded, then the pilot or the poaching airline will foot the bill of the poaching. Either way, neither company loses out. The thing is, the poaching airline will probably be paying the type of T's and C's that are worth being poached for. If people dont jump ship so much, companies have to pay more to retain the staff that they want.
A rectruitment ban only affects the pilots directly. It affects the companies indirectly because they start getting the even more desperate pilots (who cant find a job) apply so basically they get the bottom of the barrel! Otherwise they would be employed!
Having said that, you hit the nail on the head with this quote:
Airline pilots are just a cost same as cabin crew and maintenance and for most airlines are one of the largest figures in the P&L
The thing is, you have a choice of being a cheap pilot who is helping the hen and stag parties of the low cost passengers get pissed for cheap in another country or a pilot who is paid what they are worth. Without pilots, an airline cant fly, full stop. C/C and maintenance personal are just as vital so we should be able to influence what happens to our Ts & Cs directly. While there are those amongst us willing to undercut the general pilot body, pilots will NEVER have a leverage over their companies. When pilots start to stand together, the only place managers have to look at cost cutting is themselves!
While people here are generally fairly negative about BALPAs response to articles like this, they are in the most part it seems, in favour of a move back to bonding. We can get BALPA to take notice if we all get together, they are there after all to look after the best interests of all their members. Even if some of you think they only serve the likes of BA, it is still of interest to them and you because Jo Bloggs with a brand new SSTR is going to jump ship early from his first company if BA offer him a slot. BA will be able to offer him lower Ts & Cs accordingly as he is cheaper than the other pilot they were looking at and that will eventually slowly but surely do to BA and others, what it is doing to the Lo-Co market.
It is not restricted to the entry level airlines!
I think people miss what I am saying when I say we need a recruitment ban with regards to SSTR's. This would only affect the pilots who take them. A recruitment ban doesnt stop airlines from recruiting pilots. All it does is deny pilots who join the company concerned the ability to have (any) Airline Pilot Association membership and the benefits that those priveleges bring. It is not hard to implement but it makes those thinking of doing a SSTR think twice as they will never be able to have the benefits afforded to them as an Airline pilot ever in their careers. Not a nice prospect if they have a prang or are left out on a limb by an airline with no morals. Not that there are many of those now are there!
People, this is an industry wide problem that we all face together. Some of you are willing to under cut others to get up the ladder quicker. Some are not. For that reason, the pilot body will never be able to stick together solidly for one reason. The thing is, if we can get a ban put on those new pilots who chose to Buy an SSTR, we will at least be taking the first step to addressing the balance of power.
I am trying to work out a way of collecting those of us together that might be able to make a difference because that is the biggest hurdle. If I can get something to work, please stand up and be counted when you get the chance! The longer it takes, the harder we will have to fight!