Controllers do not possess easily transferable skills,especially when working for a monopoly provider.....unlike pilots and managers for example. When the carpet-baggers moved in and gradually swelled out the middle and top ends of the organisation with an insulation layer of drones, it was to enhance their CV's in preparation for the next job. Remember that in a recession or downturn in the economy there is no safer place to be than a comfy little office in Hampshire.......prepare for even more departments to be created as "buddies" in the the cold outside commercial world start to look for alternative post-redundancy jobs.
Anyway, it was mentioned on Day One of new-NATS that we do our job in spite of management, and that we might take all kinds of crap....which we do....BUT IF YOU TOUCH THE PENSIONS you paint us into a corner. When all the present managers have moved on [not just the regular six monthly managerial musical chairs merry-go-round] the "core-business" workforce will still be at various stages of their 40 year careers.
If this isn't worth fighting for.....what is?