5milesbaby
Or should I abstain like my peers tell me to, see the company struggle and maybe break, watch the pension fund collapse and then retire with nothing.
Why not just come in and work for food ? It'll save NATS a fortune and you'll be helping them out a lot. Robber Barron might even let you carry his barstool for him, whilst telling you how wonderful he is and what an honour it must be for you to work for him.
privatesandwiches
As for AAVA's, do them if you want or dont do them if you dont want to. There is always going to be someone who needs the money, is a tight arse and loves every penny, or just doesnt give a monkeys. An endless and generally pointless discussion until the unions backbone comes in the post........
This hits the nail on the head. Everyone has different principles, and some people like just to think of themselves or the moment, not their colleagues or the long term. Unless the union make a policy decision, then it's left to individual choice and not everyone will have the same opinion on doing AAVAs as everyone else.
Min Stack
When Mr B sees you guys keep coming in on your days off for extra cash he's going to think "hmm, these ATCO's obviously don't need all this time off, lets start reducing their leave" and you'll just lay back and let him do that will you because you "don't want to see the company struggle and maybe break, watch the pension fund collapse and then retire with nothing"? Because that's what he'll try and do next. I might as well start doing AAVA's again then if you boys don't appreciate me and keep NATS afloat with my cheap labour so that Mr B can afford to shaft you even more.
That's the long term, and it WILL happen, simply because we've already proven what an impotent lot we are, as well as being a greedy lot who only think of grabbing money today, even if it is selling ourselves short or shafting other people. Cheap labour (AAVAs), freely given goodwill, and professional pride in making the system work (in spite of chronic manpower shortages and incompetent management) all play their part in Robber Barron and his management team taking us for everything they can. We don't show backbone and say enough is enough. We don't force the issue by making management face up to the state they have got us in to. Instead some of us continue to pull them out the mire, some of us moan and winge, some of us grab a fast buck without thinking about the effects.
Every unit has an operational requirement. Almost without exception, every unit is short of the number of staff required to provide it. The requirement is agreed with SRG and is part of the 'licence' held by the unit. Yet we get by, simply because we let it happen, by running short, by going the extra mile, by bringing in cheap labour, by exercising professionalism. And who gets the benefit of this ?? The bonus management leeches. Who gets put under pressure or scrutiny when it all goes 'Pete Tong' ? Not the management that's for sure. You don't see them for dust, except for them trying to get operational people to justify their decisions, whilst bleating about the poor state of the company and trying to place guilt on us. The Ops Room folks get left to pick up the pieces again and again.
The sad fact is that it will be like this because we let it happen. We don't demand the correct staffing is in place, or put on all the flow measures that we should be if it isn't. Until we change our own culture and become hard nosed bastards like Robber Barron, we'll remain in this state and be beaten down day after day, year after year. Even sadder is that we don't even need to step outside our T&C's to do so. All we need is for everyone to do only what they have been paid for and to operate sectors only as per the procedures. It will be painful on our customers initially, but then who has managed us in to the situation ?? Who deserves the wrath of the public ?? It can't be the 'staff' since they are doing what they are being paid to do. Nothing more and nothing less. It should be those who have got us in to this situation, through their actions, or lack of them. The unions should also be prepared to brief the public on what is needed to allow the system to work. Adequate staff and management who care not about their next bonus or Aston Martin, but care about NATS being one of the best providers of ATS in the world, run efficiently and safely not for profit, with adequate rewards for staff who don't grow on trees.
Mr777
Sorry, but I find your comments a bit patronizing to be honest. I see your location is Scotland, so no doubt your house did only cost you 50p...or maybe you even had some change from that.
Congratulations, you've 'top trumped' him. You are patronising ... and hypocritical
