Do some of you read the posts you are replying to
Just thought I'd re-enter the fray here.
Looking back at my original post I think what I was actually trying to say - in reply to the nice chap from Waterside - was that I AM prepared to fight over the pensions issue. It is important and everyone is going to lose out. To be honest I don't think there could be any doubt of that to anyone who got beyond the first paragraph of my post.
As to the general issue of working hours - I don't recall complaining about working 36 hours - in fact we used to do much longer than that. Rather I was simply stating a fact and comparing it to our 12 hour days which some seem to think are an accident waiting to happen. I disagree.
The flight time limitations laid down by the CAA are, I understand, based on some research into fatigue and so it is right we should limit ourselves to those hours in order to keep the public safe. But BA has lower hours limits (at least on short haul) that are based on nothing more than union negotiated agreement for the general happiness of union members. Now there's nothing wrong with that - if we can get away with working less then that's fine with me. But don't try to turn it into a safety issue when it's nothing more than "working less because we fancy it". And don't tell me BA pilots are an efficient work group when they could improve their productivity by over 10% simply by working up to perfectly safe legal limits.
Still, I'm sure WW has his eyes on us all. If he can see off the IRA cartels that ran Aer Lingus I think he's unlikely to be shaken by some mincing pilots.