driscoll,
I've been through three EBA's with AsA. It sounds like you work here too. What on earth makes you think selling out the newbies was something the union came up with? Would it not be much more obvious that AsA has been actively trying to reduce the cost of new employees? As Odie says - economics 101. I understand that it sucks to be doing the same job for less money [and yes, I had 18months of budget FPC] but the union is on your side - you are the current and future members - if they don't look after you, there will be no union in years to come.
Enrooter
I hope you are agitating your supposed "piss-weak" colleges at the coal face and not just sledging them anonymously here if you want some change to occur.
odie,
agreed, the untapped potential is of ATC's is huge, IMHO. But it will remained untapped so long as AsA continues to treat us as a cost, rather than an asset.
contactdepartures,
RE: recruitment. AsA still advertises that it prefers uni-qualified applicants. Yet in the last 10 years, it has actually REDUCED the college [sorry - "academy" - gag] salary, by the tune of 10 grand down to $30K something! [and AsA eliminated transfer allowance] Any uni qualified person could reasonably expect to go into at least a $40K position - I wonder why no-one applies??? Compounding this problem is the industries boom - you can earn the same out west driving a truck, and not be subject to weekly performance milestones.
What's the solution?