Well, if rumours of a greater than 9% rise are true I know what I would do if I was on the pay negotiating team for the Union:
I'd find out exactly what his pay rise percentage was (it has to be available).
I'd find out the date it is applicable from.
I'd check to see when his last pay rise was implemented.
I'd scour the intranet for one of the many quotes from Mr Barron stating that NATS is facing a financially testing time and would need to tighten it's belt.
I'd find out exactly how much the Airlines were getting as a dividend.
I'd find out how many people we have made redundant or not renewed contracts with.
I'd open a Word document and I would type out the quote about tightening belts on the first line, typed as a quote with Mr Barron as the source.
I would then type out the pay rise %age that Mr Barron is receiving on the next line.
I'd type out the amount of dividend being paid to the Airlines on the next.
I'd type out the number of redundancies and un-renewed contracts, with quantifying text explaining that the management reasoning for same was cost cutting.
I'd once again type out the exact %age that Mr Barron has received.
I'd finish by once again typing out the quote about belt tightening.
I would print off x amount of copies, x being equal to the number of people who were to be present at the meeting.
I would hand one sheet to each of the people on the management side - the Union guys would already have theirs.
I would state that in light of the paper in front of them, we want a sensible offer made to us.
I would say nothing else and see what they came out with. Simple, easy, fairly powerful.
Of course, that would not be deemed to be working together, so it would never happen. it would also require the union to show a bit of backbone and hardnosed negotiating.
I bet, however, that Mr Barrons nice pay rise will never even be mentioned in negotiations.