I would like to acknowledge fiftypercentn1's point about unions.
If you are lucky enough to join a company that recognise BALPA great, life is so much easier. I joined a very reputable tour operator and on day one management introduced the BALPA rep. He made it clear we were expected to join up on the spot. For the rest of my time there it was easy, 98% union membership, if management wanted to do anything they had to consult the union. The hardest battle I fought was getting through rush hour Leeds traffic to position to LBA from another base.
Conversely in FR its a different beast, stand up and fight aeh! so many have this vision and I agree with it, the problem with forcing recognition is as 50%N1 mentioned they just close the UK bases and thats it, wife kids house everything you work for up in the air while you try to relocate to mainland Europe.
FR is aggressive in all regards and people have to do whats right for them, this fragments the pilot workforce as it suits some people and infuriates others.
My main point is: if you join a good company with union recognition life is to a greater extent easier and better for the pilot.
If you join an airline without a union and you have to fight tooth and nail risking all to get the union in it is so much harder (you have to actually do something instead of just rowing in with the status quo)
So for all of you who are lucky to have the recognition and good T's&C's take it easy on the bashing. You own fate could have been different.
How many of you regular line pilots actually fight and petition on a regular basis? or do you just let you CC do the job then moan all year?
Its not just as simple as stand up and fight.
Last edited by enigmajet; 24th Sep 2010 at 10:31.