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Maybe I misunderstood what you said but I think you were refering to CITYJET in CDG...
No, you got me right, I meant XL, but that's only from hear say, that would need to be checked. However, the Vuelling one is a fact and this gent suddenly discovered that it wasn't worth it and went to enjoy gardening. Wether he had to repay what he had collected I don't know.............but I've stopped believing in Santa.
City Jet ??? Any AF pilot could work for them...........again, provided they didn't collect their pension.
Anyhoo, this won't be an issue in 2010 when pilots are allowed to work beyhond 60. Guess what !!! Those retirering in 2009 are lobbying to see the amendment implemented this coming New Year !!! The very same who were protesting aginst 65 just a few weeks ago !! They too, want a slice of the pie.
En effet, le texte déposé devant les sénateurs garantit que les conditions d’un départ à 60 ans, qui reste l’âge légal de cessation d’activité, sont les mêmes qu’aujourd’hui. Ce n’était pas le cas de l’amendement soutenu par quelques députés et PNT 65.
Finally and I am sorry to post this in french as it comes directly from the French ALPA site, what was voted by the upper house is very different from the first draft voted par the parliament. In short, 60 remains the legal age, thus securing all the material benefits of retirement BUT it becomes possible to work beyond 60. It does sound very silly I know, but this little trick makes the whole thing legally stable. The compagny will not be able to change those material benefits.
The strike, as wastefull as may have appeared ( and it always is ) also carried another benefit which was to show that pilots can mobilize and are to be reckoned with. I am not saying this in a bravado way but you have to know that under President Sarkozy, a totally new union representation scheme is being discussed.
In short, unions who do not represent at least 10% of the total number of employees will be considered as non representative and therefore will have no legal existence anymore. Be gone AF ALPA !!
4000 Air France pilots..............75000 employees !!! We'd find ourselves in the positions our german colleagues were a short while ago, having our contracts negociated by ground staff !!!
The next government offer was " Let's have a flight crew union and make pilots and cabin crew a happy family "
4000 pilots............dunno exactly but around 20000 + cabin crew " Here we are all of sudden with cabin crew negociating our contracts !!! Talk of " ambiance " on the flight deck !!
Finally, after having assessed what a pain in the toush we can be when made cranky, it seems we will remain a recognized " union " in the legal term of the word. Had the strike not been followed, it is a very different message the governement would have received.
In short, imagine BALPA all of a sudden losing all its legal representation rights and having Dolly at the back decide what your take home would be.
As I am writing this, I realize the kind of padded cell we live in. I must have written governement a bezillion times in this post when all it is about is collective agreement within the compagny. But as stated by Australiancalou this is how things work here. Scary !! Don' t you think ??