Bigjarv:
I just wonder if the training departments will be able to cope with the turnover.
I believe management have had their eye on that particular ball for quite a while hence the new training academy. They will very shortly have the keys for a modern training centre and with it the capacity to train very efficiently and large numbers. It is purely my own conjecture but I suspect for the company to retain a desireable level of experience the way forward might to offer a harmonised LHS payscale and a different RHS payscale based on type. Why? Because they can. This would breed resentment among Dash F/Os but we are at the bottom of the heap, as was seen in the 2006 pay negotiations when the company needed to improve the Dash captain salary it was the 146 fleet and the Dash F/Os who were left to foot the Bill. Ash seems to have clogged up the engine of good industrial relations as latest information is that management are no longer interested at looking into the late finish early starts issue without
significant loss of "perks" such as DP, crew meals etc. I am not at all hopeful as, despite all the inclusive rhetoric and sickening fuzzy company staff emails, there is no real intention or willingness to improve the package on offer to crew.
"On behalf of the company I would like to thank you all for your continuing hard work and dedication which ensures the company's solid performance in challenging economic times...yada yada yada...." type memos are a monthly offering.
Unfortunately my car does not run on fuzzy memos, nor can I buy schoolbooks, pay my mortgage or do my weekly shopping with them. It is time for management to make a decent, fair commitment to staff.
sr