So I guess the time has now arrived for all of us who come on here and whinge about the union growing some balls have to grow some too.
I suspect it will be an interesting few weeks as people make their excuses about having to do overtime because they can't afford to shop at Waitrose any more or that they have a 4th holiday of the year to pay for.
This is a real opportunity for the workforce to let management know just how much they rely on individuals doing stuff over and above that which is necessary as well as showing some real solidarity towards the guys and girls who have been negotiating for the last 9 months.
No doubt plenty will have been doing the maths about what a Sunday or bank holiday overtime duty is worth-well remember it only feels good for about 10 seconds after you open the pay check. Just give it some thought beyond that moment of glee to where the workforce will be if they don't keep a strong support.
Think hard about it when the ORO call or you are approached by the Watch Sup to do those extra duties. Think hard about doing those extra sectors to help them out so much. Think hard about the amount of flexibility you are prepared to give when it comes to introducing major technological changes.
This could be the defining few weeks of the future of terms and conditions of the operational staff in NATS and it is up to us to collectively to ensure we get the reward we deserve for providing a massively safe, historically expeditious and unfortunately under the present management, hugely profitable ATC service.
Is a pay rise that keeps up with inflation really too much to ask?