The problem being, conspiracy theories aside, there will be people voting from NSL who will not have to carry out these duties and so it is free money and stitches up the rest.
The Union think that they have been really clever as they think that the safety surveys will mean that we will not have to carry out Met whilst plugged in which is our main concern. Bulls*t
And herein lies the problem.
The pay negotiators are so far removed from a band 1/2/3 regional airport that they do not realise/understand how things work in the sticks.
I am sure EFD training for instance at PC was carried out with loads of money thrown at it in the way of 'super AAVA's' etc and is still not fit for purpose. EFPS however was not fit, is still not fit for purpose in approach, but we are stuck with it. The training was a joke, totally under resourced with no extra cash and more importantly no spare staff.
We had absoultely no Union backing and had to train whilst on standby for a position or do without FIN. Only Nats HF saved us by insisting we needed a break before going from electronic strips back to paper again. Safety survey?
Sorry to waffle but this is what it is like in the regions. Last time we had WP negotiations the union again sent someone to help us. He was from Swanwick and again was as much use as Fernando Torres and stated he didn't understand airport working's. Feckin' pointless
We all pay subs for representation but the Prospect atcos branch hierachy is made up of too many NERL controllers or if not guys from the higher band airports i.e. London.
What would be fairer is for a pay negotiating team made up of equal representations from all bands so no one has a majority. It always seems as corrupt as MP's voting for their own pay deal as management know they just have to please Swanwick, PC and possibly Heathrow.
To clarfiy, I have no ill feelings for my NERL colleagues, just Prospect for continually putting us in this situation by lining their own pockets and recommending deals that screw the minnows.
This is a totally unfair, divisive proposal that should not have been even negotiated never mind presented around units by Prospect in the forthcoming roadshows. If management will not budge then fine. Call the bluff, threaten industrial action and watch NSL cave in as we lose contracts and the proposed Spanish deal. Can you imagine LHR closed for even an hour?