It seems to me that we have a situation here that was supposed to be announced / resolved by last December. Sadly it hasn't. I agree that all NCA should be on the higher band. When I remustered many years ago part of the incentive was to improve myself within the RAF. As a previous electronics technician, i.e. Higher band of pay as it is these days, I would feel deceived if I or any NCA went on to the Lower band. OOps you loadies already have been which at the time and still to this day I find shocking. Would the guys or girls who were previously techies be allowed to remuster back to their old trades, I dont think so, (leaving flying pay aside as we are talking basic pay here). I am aware that years ago the loadies didnt do themselves any favours, but they did put forward a far improved case this time, so well done loadies. In the overall great scheme of things it would cost pennies to upband all FS and MACR loadies. If the concept of WSOps is to work we have to be paid the same. You cannot cross over from one WSOp specialisation to another and have people of the same rank doing the same job, albeit with different experience levels, on a different salary. The FS and MACR loadies on PAS, in my opinion have already been disadvantaged as they would have went in at a lower level than their WSOp counterparts. Incase people dont realise I am in old money terms an AEOp, but fully believe in NCA being united. Now for a couple of thoughts, leading on from previous comments.
Over the years it has struck me that AA or NCA as we are now have been a cadre that just doesnt seem to fit the Officer or Ground Airmen mould. We are assessed using the Officer format, yet have the terms and conditions of the ground airmen, well most of them as there are some discrepances. So could a solution be to abandon Pay2000 and have our own pay band. It seems like they try to fit a square peg (NCA) into a round hole (Ground Trade terms and conditions), I am sure many of you would agree with this.
At the moment we have a higher and lower band based on technical and responsibiltiy issues. So if the RAF want to save some cash, why don't the have Job Evaluations of the Officer branches. Does an Engineering Officer have the same responsibilities as say an Admin officer or Supply Officer. With JPA how many people actually work under OC Accounts or OC PSF. They are all pretty much on the same basic and Officer aircrew with vast amounts of flying pay.
So why cant we have our own separate pay band, all views greatly accepted.
Lastly, I noticed the latest figures quoted on the manpower states, obviously interested in the AEOp ones, so a bit of a history lesson forthcoming and not intended to score points or anything silly like that.
AEOp manpower was in decline, then 203 Sqn disbanded from Malta many years ago, instantaneously manpower shortage resolved.
Manpower goes in decline again, then 42 Sqn at St Mawgan disbands, all 3frontline Sqns at Kinloss suddenly get an extra crew.
This extra crew doesnt last long and we go back to 8 crews and over a period of time manpower levels beging to dwindle.
As if by magic 206 Sqn disbands and we end up with 2 super Sqns.
I am sure you see the trend here, as manpower levels start to falter again and with OCU capacity reduced where will we be in a few years if not sooner again. History can give us valuable lessons, but as things are financially driven for now with little thought about the future then I forsee more problems to come.
I get the feeling that a lot of people are coming up to natural wastage points in their service careers, whether 12 or 22 year point and with current goings on there are a lot of push factors.
Now definitely lastly, sorry for harping on, I bet it is not just AEOp's that have this trend. Certainly pilots manning levels are sruggling.
I have gone on a bit and would welcome any constuctive critisisms about my ravings, but in the end we shouldnt be bitching at each other we should have a united front to highlight the problems that do exist.