Stuck_Mic
Privatisation (or at least Public Private Parnership) in UK is a farce. It was implemented to allow for investment for the future - even though investment was happening under the old system. The Governement would give NATS a low rate loan to implement changes, such as the building of a new en-route centre. As it was essentially a loan, the loss of money to the governement was negligible, if not nil.
This was from a governement that villified the opposition when they were in power and privatised public sector services.
The staff were against the sell off, but hey, what do we know?
Admittedly, out of three intitial bidders, the airline group - the best (in safety sake) won the race. However, low cost outfits apart, airlines are struggling at the moment, with BA making a spectacular loss so how can they afford to invest the money in NATS?
The management is in dissaray, the coal face workers - controllers, engineers assistants are under pressure - Assistants jobs are being slashed, meaning overworked assistants and controllers. The head of the Human Resource Dept left after one year in the job - to a lower profile job... good luck to him, he obviously knows when to get out.
Long term plannng is non existent - at the college for instance there are in excess of 100 students at different stages of training who are unsure where they are going next - either on to the next part of course or to hold over and wait - they finish their courses in less than two weeks! This is due to there being too many people for subsequent courses. Not due to a dramatic increase in pass rate, but due to poor forward planning.
Students on Area courses bound for the new en-route centre are now expecting to have to wait for up to 18 months before commencing training proper - and they wonder why the failure rate at units is increasing!!
As for hours - the basic shift pattern for NATS remains the same as it is strictly regulated, ouside of NATS though some of the independant employers run different patterns, but I believe (do not quote me) that they all have to comply with the same pattern as NATS come September (having been given dispensation originally).
NATS have been told that they cannot increase charges this year to cover the loss of revenue - the excuse being that when traffic levels are high, the income is high, therefore NATS should take the bad with the good and accept a loss of revenue in the aftermath of the tragedy... So how are we supposed to invest??!!
As for pay - again we have been told that due to Sept 11th we cannot expect a good rise - (we are still waiting for the rise that was due in January!). This is understandable to a degree, but when traffic levels were increasing by up to ten precent per year, did we receive a comparitive pay rise? Of course not.
Vote against privatisation is the best advice I and the majority of NATS employees would give you. Good luck!
Last edited by Go for 5, Get 3; 12th Jun 2002 at 09:02.