Tom, good to see such supportive comments!!!
Your right, you are in for a rough ride. Most other departments do not support you. Simple truth is that you have turned down a pay offer that is over twice what UK staff got and just accepted. Who's the fools then? You have to admit that makes you look very selfish. Very selfish, getting paid what percentage of your salary? In general nobody in VS is fantastically paid. Those that don't like that in the long run move on, we all have that option. Funny how many people come back though, I can think of 6 straight off.
It does seem to me that there is a lot of "sheep" about as well. If you check one of my earlier posts you will see I spoke to one CC who couldn't even explain the offer that had been made and was going to vote no because everyone else was. Pretty pathetic really. And believing the company hype of getting the back pay before Xmas isn't pathetic? Route allowances: As I said earlier as well, your allowances are far better than anything that we get when on company business. Another point that you will get no support on. Get your union to sort it out instead of getting bitter & twistedCrew down: Every flight I have departed this week has had crew call in sick for. Every time I have worked Christmas (about 5 in the past 11) or New Year ( 8 in 11) crew have called in sick. Nobody in my department who was rostered to work called in sick. We just get on with it. The sickness only exacerbates a situation, which I actually think you may have a point on. More horse poop, once heard of an engineer that regurlarly went sick just to get Friday night off (we all over hear people talking on the aircraft)There is also a lot of external pressures building at the momment. Possible recesession, oil prices rising, open skies. It seems that a lot of people in other departments realise this, not exactly the ideal time to take action is it? First sensible thing you've said, so if money is so tight why squander it on The Base or flying The Spice Girls around the world??
One other story; I was in the galley working the other day. CC were chatting and one said "weren't those Strawberry Daquieries great last night" and went on to talk about a particular bar. Wish I could afford to go out and drink cocktails in that place. Managed to bite my lip and walk away before getting into a "discussion" on how hard up CC supposedly are. So the girls went out for a few drinks, so what should they do on an evening stay in & paint their nails?? For many downroute IS their life & when they do their socialising
Shame really as I get on very well with some crew. Hope things don't progress to the point where our assistance in those little things that makes your life easier is withdrawn due to bad feeling. Easy, what if the crew don't bother with you & the family when enjoying your J upgrades??
Think long. Think hard. This time it is not just about "you". A bit like all the engineers did a few years ago when upset about the payment for the A346, are you having a touch of memory failure??