All this industrial action step happened not so long ago (5 years?) and we went to the vote, so flybe wont be too scared, having been there before, and the result was to not strike. 51% TO 49% the rumour had it.
Should have been a revote. Sadly this was also a reflection of the poor membership that flybe pilots have with their union. Perhaps if you truely want better conditions you should join. I would think that judging by the comments made on here then all the above have thus Im preaching to the converted but maybe pass on this to every FO CAPT that you fly with. In particular the FOs as this position is massively under represented within the union for flybe.
Why? Probably because their pay is so poor they cant afford it. Ironic huh.
At the very least know this, if we strike and you are not in the union then you have no protection and will have to go to work
There are also a few pilots that I have spoken to recently that feel with the impending float perhaps this is not the time to strike. Some feel that they want the float to happen now so there may be a NEW direction in management and the payrise will come in the future and subsequently if we strike then the float will be delayed yet again. This for me is a very worrying point of view, although valid and perhaps correct in that it will delay the strike, I feel that it is a little nieve to think that a new owner will WANT to pay us the industry standard where flybe currently have got away with doing that for so so so very very long. This fact in itself will encourage them to buy us especially if they stipulate that the current managemnet i.e Jim would be required to stay in his capacity for an extended period. Also the monies coming from the float will be from a silent owner, much like us as we own 16% of the airline ourselves but are not listened to, and thus this money will be utilised for the expansion as we know.
Of course the rumours are that Jim wants to float, cash in and get on the next horse and cart (Maserati) into the sunset but thats to be seen.
What gets me is that even 5% or 6% is seriously falling short of what we should be aiming for. I want the industry standard for the airline we are becoming and have become. At least 10% for the first year and further talks for the next 5 years so that the pay increases we have toward the industry standard dont break the bank. What Im trying to say is that I would hope that we dont get sold out for the 5% and flybe stipulate, like they always have done, that there will be no negotiations for a further 2 or more years, during which time they know our pay will yet again fall behind.