Aye, things are not how they were in my day, lad!!
Sadly, for the last 6 - 8 years it has been a gradual but accelerating erosion of terms and conditions. Gone is............................... everything, the only insurance the company has against you wanting to leave in 2 years time is that you'll be on your knees and too tired to apply elsewhere, coz I guarantee you'll want to. This will be in no small way attributed to the constant 18hr rest periods, roster patterns going from earlys to lates to nights.Ask the CAA.
Human resources, are a couple of dirty words in head office, where the attitude of if its legal........then F'off and do it. There are still some dinosaurs running things who have been there since the company was in short trousers, based in portakabin with a fleet a third of the size it is now and at the risk of seeming harsh they can no longer cope. My sympathy extended for as long as it took to effect my lifestyle.
There are some great people on the flying side, but the union is paralysed from an impressive bit of divide and conquer imposed by the management. With so many different fleets, payscales etc progress will always be limited. If things are bad now its unlikely they are going to improve again until there is a world pilot shortage(not on the horizon!), and they finally the company relents to pay as much as it takes to stem the flow of exhausted, demoralised pilots.
If you are on the bottom of the ladder looking to start I have every sympathy in your need for a first break. My only warning is don't be tempted by any previous reputation the company has. The original attractions Monarch held as an employer are evaporating and fast. If you have choices consider them carefully.
Please all, this should not be interpreted by anyone still there as me gloating and an outburst self congratulatory dirge. I made my choice to leave for many reasons and only on my day of retirement will I be able to decide whether they were good or bad choices.