My father used to work for Scottish Power so I asked him for any information about this.
Shift engineers who control the reactor are paid between GBP 23,500 to 36,500
while training
After successfully completing training, licenced engineers salary goes up to 52,000 pounds plus shift pay.
Your mistake can kill immediately more people than crash of all aircraft of major airline. And then millions will suffer for many years after.
European/US designed nuclear power plants are constructed in such a way that this scenario is impossible. Chernobyl type accidents are simply not possible, and it requires a considerable chain of events with a number of people involved to get even close to something dangerous. Three Mile Island was, from what I can understand, a system problem where the safety systems worked.
I will agree, however, that nuclear power plant engineers, watch officers on LNG tankers and train drivers are similar to pilots. They are all
safety critical employees, responsible for high value equipment and people's lives.
My personal opinion is that if a company has to ask it's employees for charity in the form of paying for training, then they have got their sums wrong somewhere and do not deserve to be in business. Alternatively it could also be that they are simply cynically abusing their position of power, which allows them to put pressure on the workforce to reduce terms and conditions.
It then becomes important for the workforce to collectively join together and ensure a dialogue exists between management and themselves that preserves their T&Cs. Being in a union doesn't mean you immediately turn into an Arthur Scargill.