Devils Advocate
Not wishing to stir the NATS hate bucket, but the T's & C's that we have 'given' up over the past 5 years have resulted in a rise in ATCO 2 scales (albeit this refers to band 5 only) of approx 46%.
There is no way we would be paid as much as we are today without these concessions and is a large part of the reason we are now having to negotiate a new pension for new entrants.
In response to if we don't fight for this we will get turned over on all negotiations in the future... Rubbish. I would see it as we no longer need to sell chips to get pay rises. I would rather agree to RPI +0.5% and keep my leave than have RPI +1.5% (1% not pensionable!) and sell 3 days leave.
Also, any pay rise over RPI +0.5% will be massively cheaper for NATS as they will no longer have the underlying rate to pay to the pension on it. So you could see it as easier to protect what we have.
With respect to the pension, the way I read it is that there can be no differential pay award between those in the new pension and us in the old one. This now written into our personal full time contract regardless of the Apr 2001 Trust of a Promise. Furthermore, this promise only comes into force if NATS is sold or goes bankrupt. In which case those who fall under it have their benefit underwritten by the government. As long as NATS exists as a company, regardless of who has the most shares, nobody on the old pension can have it taken away from them without their personal approval.
I can see that there is alot of bad feeling about this all over, predominantly for the wrong reasons. Quite simply, I want to protect my pension and I have more than 20 years remaining. If this CEO doesn't change it, the next one will - or we'll go bankrupt and will lose it anyway. I'm voting for potentially a £45k instead of a £50k one (at current rates) AND thats if we get pay rises for the next 20 years of RPI + 1% (NEVER GONNA HAPPEN)
Look at the figures, go to the briefings - its all there... and spare a thought for those 65yr olds retiring this year on their NORMAL pension which, in the current climate now pays <£10k.
I believe the union have negotiated the best deal available looking at ALL of the information and I wish more people would take the time to find that out for themselves.
Right, thats the end of my rant - Bring on the hate!