Just seen on Sky News that the "Air Traffic Bailout" is going to cost £230m. I expect that is why there will be no big payrises this year and NATS bean counters are unwilling to spend a £50m surplus on ATCO wages.
Personally I think a great deal of this is down to crap management, especially in ATC and especially at a certain large facility on the south coast. The management 'style' creates increasing bad feeling amongst staff, makes us feel unwanted and held in low regard - "a problem to be solved".
RICHARD - LISTEN UP. Start treating your front line staff better - stop the childish, penny pinching, autocratic managers from continually pi$$ing off your workforce and do it quick!
I have worked for NATS for 20+ years and have never seen a militant ATCO before (quite a surprise really) its not all about pay. The status of ATC staff has dropped and that is a management issue.
Low morale is created and maintained by poor management. Maybe now some of them at least will be shown the door and improving morale and motivation amongst front line NATS staff will become the MAJOR issue before its too late.