The more I read and see in the media, the more it follows 1989.
Same bloody formula of lies and whipping up the public's mean little opinion of those who have done the study and climb the slippery ladder with the recorders watching over their shoulder every second they work.
Checks more regularly than other occupations and the public (All experts)ready to bay for blood if any tiny mistake is found.
The pay increase is extremely low in the list of controller's concerns while the need to get adequate rest is highest, yet the "papers" as always get the facts 180 out every time.
I'm not a controller but I work close to them and mate, like many of 'em I'd walk away... I did it myself when the respect and reasonable conditions were lost in the caper I was in.
Loyalty is a fairly natural characterisitc in Aussies. The majority of controllers enjoy being loyal, but management have learned to cr*p on employees increasingly till they get sick of it and start fighting.
ATC management have read the set books for management courses at "Uni"
(it used to be called Technical College once) . The book written by some lofty academic who's slipped out into the big bad world and studied people at work then shot back into the cloisters where he's safe to write what he thinks he saw and heard.
Trouble is they're so impractical that they miss the basics that all the plebs "just know" and don't bother to mention, like respect and trust.
Some of the management in Airservices have to be heard to be believed. They come and go, travelling on the big management merry-go-round ride, that starts up with, "cut staff numbers, cut spare parts, outsource- outsource-outsource, keep your ear to the ground and in contact with the mates who can slot you into their outfit so you have somewhere else to go straight after picking up the bonus.
Well this present management is holding the baby. Their predecessors have gotten the outfit into this big mess and shot off to newer pastures and higher salaries while the controllers get stomped on.