Last year's recruitment:
No one knows what is in store for this year's recruits and as the advert is for any pilot, so long as he has an fATPL, the T&Cs could be of any combination imaginable.
Last year's recruitment drive specified type rated captains and first officers with minimum hours on type. The salaries for 100% contracts were as specified by Crosswind, post 156:
Captain: £67,000 p.a. approx.
Senior First Officer: £44,000 p.a. approx. (only after 2 years' service in JET2)
First Officer: £41,064 per annum
Compared to the salaries quoted by Starbear's post 171, then, the captains' salaries are lowish, as also the senior first officers', but the first officers' salaries are OK.
Last year the contract of employment offered was for working 7 months of the year, "summer season", and a "rest period" of 5 months. The salary offer for this contract was 70% of the salaries quoted above. So taking the first officer salary as an example, 70% of 41,064 pounds is equivalent to £28,744 per annum, which is paid over 12 months of the year, which equals £2,395 per month. Apart from the foregoing and during the summer working period and as stated by DADDY-HO in post 161, there are another £350-£450 approximately per month to be taken home for sector pay etc.
The ground training period, which lasts approximately 2 weeks did NOT fall within the Work Period (01 April-31 October), as specified above and took place in March during 2 weeks and was paid at 50% of the full time annual salary.
The bond for the ground training was for £6,000 but if you shared the SIM with another pilot it was reduced to £4,500 and the bond is for a period of 2 years.
The full 70% salary was paid with effect from the start of the work period on 1 April. After successfully completing the line training, which included 6 flights, 12 sectors in total and a final check on the 7th flight, there was a probationary period of two months, where JET2 or the employee could give each other one week's notice to quit. The normal 70% salary (£2,395 per month) was also paid during this period.
Comments:
1.
Bonding for the ground training is a bit cheeky but not unheard of in other companies. Normally it is for a lesser amount and for a period of 6 months but there are variations.
2.
JET2 almost close down in the winter months. They purchase outright older aircraft, which are cheaper and can store them in the winter without having to pay leasing costs. The company is seriously profitable.
3.
The employment contract is for 12 months of the year, so that the pilot's National Insurance is paid throughout the year.
4.
Working 7 months of the year is equivalent to working 58.333% of the year. So getting paid 70% of your annual salary for working 58.33% of the year gives you the advantage of 11.67%. This is not an unreasonable advantage since you have earned your money in the summer and getting it spread out over the year but it is still better than putting it into the bank to earn interest. There is the amount of flying hours over the summer 7 months to be considered, as well.
5.
The winter 'rest period' is not yours to do as you wish. Whatever employment you wish to undertake must be approved by JET2 in writing. Of course you ARE still employed by JET2 during your rest period, so you HAVE TO refer back to JET2 for whatever you want to do during "your" rest period. Stating specific limitations on possible employers and activities in the employment contract would be by far a fairer and more reasonable proposition.
6.
JET2 reserve the right to call on you to return to work, whenever they choose during your rest period. Again giving specific conditions to be met by JET2 would be by far a fairer and more reasonable proposition.
There are numerous arguments for and against the above contract but the best solution is to convert all 70% employment contracts into full time employment as soon as possible.
If last year there were type rated experienced pilots in the UK to be recruited on 70% contracts, this year the situation is changing substantially on a daily basis and by next year JET2 will probably need to make important changes to pilots' T&Cs to keep flying. The company is also introducing more and more destinations, which means more and more flying......