RP,
I feel that I have to defend the P staffs on this one (not something I would normally do, but it's only when you lose something that you realise how useful it was)
Thank you for picking me up
I should have been clearer, in this instance I was talking about the staff at my location who have been abysmal; I hope you will understand I did not mean all others, take as you find and all that. I get the impression too that before JPA (with a larger staff) they were in general very good - I have heard this elsewhere, another loss.
Unfortunately the new system does not allow anyone to bypass it. Not the P staffs, not the JPA call centre staff, not even (if my case is to be used as an example) the JPA "Back Room" staff - you know, the ones you really need to speak to but can't e-mail direct or phone direct.
This is exactly my point - the humans have specified and installed a computer system to do a job, ie to pay us on time correctly. It appears that it is not working correctly in all instances (enevitable and acceptable, we must be realistic) but does not facilitate or allow the correction of these errors and delays (a pain in the arrse, poorly written software and unacceptable).
What is TOTALY unacceptable is that the humans that specified and installed this computer system have now become slaves to it!
'The new system does not allow anyone to bypass it.' Fair enough, poor software, but do not tell me that there is no one able to do some good old fashioned paperwork and write and get authorised a MANUAL work-around? (I am talking senior officers here)
Computer says no? Fine, address pay greiviences through a paper backup system and manualy enter the changes at a later date when computer is persuaded to say yes. DO NOT hide behind the 'computer says no' argument because all it demonstrates is that someone has not the spine or can not be arrsed to take responsibility and sort out the problem!
'Ah but the software can't be re-written... ' or ' but it would cost X million to re-write...' So you are saying therefore it is acceptable that those who risk their lives, often away from young families and overseas, are underpaid and fobbed off at every turn from now until the government have sacked the last member of the Armed Forces? (maybe not long then?!)
The reasons people leave are numerous but having the wife/husband pissed off again (as you are) at the cock-up in pay will weaken the reasons to not PVR at the first oppertunity... quite possibly the proverbial straw.
Loose a few pilots early and thats a lot of training cost lost. Loose a cab because the dilution of experience was one of those holes in the swiss cheese of fate and what has been lost then? The premature loss of all ranks and specialisations in all services is costly; fixing JPA, however it is achieved, will ultimatly save more money than it costs as well as being moraly the correct thing to do.