I'm still torn. I've had both the management and union briefings and still can't quite make my mind up.
On one hand the conditions set out by the union are sound, combined with the promises that as ATCOs we will not be taking on the met or residual tasks without several safety cases, and a list of such tasks being agreed between ATCOs and management. In effect the union "sold" me the deal.....
....on the other hand, the management "presentation" was awful, crowing about how the company has no money and how most of the NSL contracts are so tight that they couldn't afford more than the 5.2% offered. Then, just as the ballot papers drop through the door, the £42.5mil divident payment news is released. Wow, what a way to make your workforce feel valued.
Suspect it'll be a "no" vote from me out of principle, might be shooting myself in the foot as the extra money would certianly come in handy, plus if the met goes totally auto in the next few years it may be payment for no extra work - however I'm not sure how much I trust the promises made by the union regarding the residual tasks. I'm still quite new to the ATCO world and the stories people have told about the pension saga are making me think carefully about anything the union says.