NATS Pay Ballot (The only vote that counts)

[Expeditedescent]

OK Notfunny,

I will take up your challenge:

1: "Almost every sector in the airline industry has been suffering financially since well before September 11th 2001."

A: And this has what to do with our pay? How about the low cost airlines? Traffic in that sector is booming, which means more traffic for us to work.
The truth is many airlines (Sabena, Swissair, BA etc etc) were in pretty poor shape well before Spet 11th, and hard fact is many airlines found 911 to be a Godsend because it enabled them to make cuts they desperately needed with an easy get out.
Poor management is not our fault......why should we pay for it?
By the way we are not in the airline industry.....we are in the Air Traffic Control industry.

2: "Most UK airlines have shed jobs in the last 12 months."

A: And again this has what to do with ATCO pay?
To follow your rationale then, as NATS have laid off staff no airline pilots should be in line for a pay rise this year then?

3: "NATS has twice in the last eight months gone cap-in-hand for more cash to the banks/city/govt."

A: That is due to the folly and stupidity of the Govt pushing through the PPP. Why should ATCOs pay for that too?
NATS mismanagement is not our fault, neither was 911.

4: "Although NATS PPP left much of the company management intact, the purse strings are now firmly in the hands of TAG. "

A: Errrrr, so what? I am sure they recognise the company's most valuable asset.........it's entire workforce.

5: "NATS/TAG management are trying to REDUCE costs, hence the redundancies in admin, ATSAs, management and engineering."

A: A few lost jobs in the multitude of layers of management wouldn't go amiss either. NATS has always been too top heavy.
Nobody wants to see job losses, but it was inevitable with PPP, again this is not the fault of the staff who remain.........I repeat why should we pay for the folly of PPP?

6: "ATCO wages are the biggest single outgoing the company has. They WILL try to alter terms and conditions over the next few years to attempt to cut this cost."

A: Funny that isn't it....probably due to the fact that NATS business is about Air Traffic Control.........it's a bit like saying that NatWest's biggest outgoing is salaries of banking staff ! Come on !
If they attempt to alter T&C then they have to go through appropriate channels.......not sure what this has to do with pay either.......

7: "In short, this is the worst time in many years to try to take the management on in a battle for more cash. Arguments about who should be paid what are meaningless. EVERYONE's future is at stake. "

A: Disagree entirely......this is the best time to make a stand now. You are right the future is at stake, the long term future of me and my collegues, and getting paid appropriately for the job that we do. This battle should have been fought years ago, but it has taken until now to finally make a stand and say to management, this is it, enough. You have undervalued and underpaid ATCOs and we are not going to take it any more.

I never ceased to be amazed by people who swallow everything management say hook line and sinker. Do you not believe it is in management's best interests to offer as little as possible......I mean why pay ATCOs what they are really worth if they will accept less?
Instead of believing everything management (or anyone for that matter) says, challenge them..........they say there is no money available..........the CAA doesn't think so, NATS own figures can be read to say that is not the case.
I am pretty sure that faced with an ATCO strike (and almost certainly the bankruptcy of the company, and probably a few of the TAG airlines) they will magically find the money.

I don't want to go on strike, I don't want this uncertainty, I want the company to be doing well, and I don't know anyone who is looking forward to walking out........but at the same time I don't want to be sitting here in 10 years going over these same arguments, saying the same things and going round in ever decreasing circles.......a stand has to be made at some time, or we will always be underpaid.

I repeat ATCO staff have never benefitted from the success of the company during the boom.....why should we now suffer during bad times......talk about management having its cake and eating it.
Pay has not risen in line with traffic levels........this has been a battle that has been looming for ages, as management have not recognised the efforts and workload of ATCOs.
Time for them to pay up.