Now back to the issue at hand before it was hijacked by someone or other.
So the staff shortages have finally been exposed in cork too. It has been known for years that the place just cannot operate without call-ins .
I don't know whether the IAA comms manager has wrestled back control of the FAX machine from the HOTHEADS in management or whether there is a huge change of thinking from her office but its good to see that with each press release the message is getting less and less vitriolic and slanderous.
This i welcome for two reasons 1) i dont like having my professionalism called into question with the allegation that i walked off the job 'cos i felt like it 2) It doesnt continue to inflame the situation which serves no purpose what so ever.
For an eight hour closure of the tower i was expecting a napalm coated press release but it didnt appear. Maybe they are realising that they dont have a leg to stand on after all ,and they dont want to keep pissing us off all the time.
Maybe they realise that the situation could get really really REALLY BAD for them before the LRC meeting because there is ACTUALLY a seroius staff shortage after all.There is the standard spin on it from their point of view but nothing you wouldnt expect at this stage. Its a bog standard press release and thats the way it should be.
I was having a chat with a friend of mine who works in HR for a rather large company. I explained the situation to him and his response was "just keep doing what we are doing" because it was obvious to him that there are seroius staff issues. By continueing to work our full contracted hours we are complying fully with our contract of employment. By choosing not to work on our days off THAT ALONE exposes the truth. Throw in a work to rule and its even more obvious and plain to see.
The IAA will hopefully have their eyes opened between now and the 19th and realise that they need to get staff back on side -whtaever that takes-becuase we know full well that training controllers (even direct) takes a long time. Chances are that some even bigger scenerios will occur because of the shortage.
Hopefully this will change managements view that US working overtime on our days off is THEIR right and part of our normal T+C's. Hopefully they will come around to the view that we need to be treated with respect -not slander and the expectation that we are willing to work ourselves into an early grave.
I think our message is getting home loud and clear. Remember this is not a stituation of our making - we are just standing up for ourselves and by extension our customers and the travelling public. Stick with it .
The changes for the better are coming.
yours as ever
OCK1F