Responsibility
Having had my apprenticeship via the military I consider myself fortunate not to have been in the position many aspiring pilots find themselves in today.
My post is really aimed at the pilots already established in a flying job - it is your responsibility to ensure the T and C's for new joiners are not eroded. The company should certainly be stopped from taking on new pilots if they have no intention of paying them.
Our BALPA CC was able to stand up to management and decline a reduction in FATPL / new joiners T and C's and I'm proud that this was done even though we probably suffered a smaller payrise ourselves. Although the Company beancounters don't yet see it - this will be good for the Company. Fewer FOs will treat the Company as a stepping stone to bigger jets / Flag carriers, retention will improve, training will reduce, roster disruption reduce, happier pilots. I'm not suggesting that this will be an overnight phenomenon but I think our CC took a step in the right direction.
We need to take responsibility for changing the mindset of the management from short term cost saving to long term investment and that starts by saying no to exploitation of the new joiners in our respective companies.
Last edited by Looker; 5th September 2006 at 10:16.
Reason: spooling