andanotherthing - thank you so much for turning this into a personal attack...
My point is that NATS' argument is "you were disloyal to leave" and "we paid you for your xx years of service". Do they expect people to work for free??? Maybe yes, these days... Leaving on good terms with local management after a very decent return of service and speaking highly of the company whenever the opportunity struck do not seem disloyal to me! Not that it matters to me now, but some of my former colleagues are mightily distressed with the direction NATS is taking. There are other options, as a few EGLL controllers are proving (pack your shades, guys!), and the fear that many NATS controllers had that anything outside was worse is simply not true now. Had there been a 5-year bond, it wouldn't have affected me since I stayed much longer that that, and what is so wrong with broadening your horizons after a good return of service???