RS
Mr Barron has openly stated that he believes ATCOs are overpaid by about 20% (I think that's the figure he stated).
Furthermore, about 14 months ago he made a very disparaging set of remarks about ATCOs during a speech he made to a bunch of Private Flyers. The transcript of which was obtainable at the time.
That's by the by though. He can think what he wants... He doesn't really know what ATCOs, or ATSAs or ATCEs do, nor the support staff at CTC, though is probably more in tune with them.
He knows in principle, but he has never actually shadowed them properly for any length of time, and to be fair, he doesn't need to, he is intetrested in NATS as a business, he doesn't really care about what the workforce do. As far as he or any head of a major business is concerned, the product could be anything, the principle of running the business remains the same - cut costs, increase productivity to be very simplistic about it.
Yes he attends ANSP meetings in Europe etc, but he does that as a business man with a view to building partnerships etc- he doesn't understand the nitty gritty of our business and the day he tries to interfere with it is the day he should leave - that's why he has amanagement team (several layers of in fact).
landedoutagain
The possibility of raising the cap to RPI+1% is feasible I suppose. However we have been told that it is the actuaries that insist on a 15 year review period as that is what is needed for them to work their figures. If ther review period is reduced, then it indicates to me that someone is telling porkies.
I fully understand why management would claim they can only afford RPI+0.5%, because it is their job to try to give away as little as possible. The 15 year period however is totaly different.
Anyways, its the closing of the fund to newcomers that is the biggest issue that people seem to have papered over. Once that happens, if the vote is yes, the pension fund as we know it for current memebers will die.
And I agree with Mr A Tis - I think that we could be led down th eroad of pay freezes etc - though the least we should ever accept is RPI, otherwise we are accepting a degradation in living conditions.