Originally Posted by
DC10RealMan
The CAAPS Nats pension fund is well run and in surplus due to the excellent stewardship of the Trustees. I believe that the savings to be made by changing the pension scheme would pale into insignificance against the costs to the airlines of selective strike action as mandated by the membership to the unions. I would have thought that it is about time that the various airline managements started to make representations to nats management about the costs to them of a strike (short or long term) and how it might affect them. One thing you can be sure of and that is Paul Barron will not be affected by any of the issues arising from the pensions situation as he will ride off into the sunset with a large amount of money for his performance in ruining a pension fund that was paid for and used for the benefit of the workers.
I don't believe an all out strike would get much sympathy from the general public.
However, if we all turned down overtime, refused to train, left all aircraft on standard routings (and at standard levels), provided real spacing on approach rather than what we get away with now and demanded proper flow and sector closures when short staffed, we'd cost the airlines a huge sum without the emotive media images of picket lines manned by some of the higher salary earners in society.
I just don't believe strike action would achieve our objectives in today's world where public perception can be so easily manipulated by a media savvy management.