Union Recognition IS coming!
LEEDS 65 and Reluctant 737-
I have a few things to comment on. I am guessing you are BRK. I can tell you right now that this year all BRK terms and conditions will be changing. Pay rates will be cut. Don't think that the "5 year contract" bit means anything. They will offer notice, say that the "Relucant 737 Pilot Ltd" is no longer required to work under contract with FR. You will be given notice, and then at the last hour, you will be offered a NEW contract that will start the day after you current one's notice ends, and that will have a reduction in pay in it. Mark my words. They have had FR pilots this year, and BRK are next.
Reluctant 737 - (Just for you)
"I guess the real question is, what can we do from the inside in a company that doesn't recognise trade unions?"
If you understand how a union is recognised within an organisation, you would know that if a union body, (BALPA), is found to have a large proportion of employees associated with it, (ie, BALPA subscribed members), it is AUTOMATICALLY given union status within that organisation. Therefore Join BALPA, and when it applies for Union recognition, it WILL get it.
[quote]"I do not support BALPA.
I was dissapointed."[/quote]
What exactly can you have to be disapointed with if you do not support them?
I seriously hope you reconsider for many reasons. If you are an FR employee, then you will help Ryanair Pilots get recognised as Union Members.
People seem to forget that BALPA can only help, if the pilots want to be helped!! Join them and you WILL get what you want! A Union that leagal MUST BE RECOGNISED BY RYANAIR. They have no choice.
If you are not FR, but BRK, then you will get leagal help and advice for when BRK finally shaft you. Plus don'f forget that BRK pilots will be used to beat the conditions down of the FR guys. This is exactly what happened in Dublin not so long ago.
"And for the record, I follow SOPs biblically when I'm at work - out of work, it's up to me to determine what's safe and what's not. "
I hope to god you never have an inncident, especially one that someone is killed. The AAIB will tear you to pieces. They will look at every single thing you have done. All sorts of posts on forums like this will be looked at as to what could have contributed. Putting posts on here saying you would go flying and not log the hours is really stupid. Leagal proceedings would follow. If you are found to have lied about hours, you will go to prison. Most likely on Manslaughter charges.
Aerobat -
Please don't get dispondent. If you are a member of BALPA, then hang in there, if not, I suggest you do as a lot of people have been particularly p*ssed off by the way the contract thing has been handled. BALPA are taking action, but it will need every possible FR pilot to support them.