AdM please do not take this as any kind of bashing, it is not. You are clearly very well informed of the workings of eJ however I do feel at times you (and some others) somewhat gloss over a little of what is on offer. No doubt actually having the NEC is a very good progression from what there was before and that has been down to the hard work of you guys in eJ but people should still understand the full picture.
It is my understanding that (by all means correct me):
1. For the first year you are a contractor not on probation. You will be treated as such.
2. eJ can and have in the past stood pilots on these terms down at will, especially during the winter time.
3. After your first full year you will sit an interview, people have failed at this stage it is not a foregone conclusion.
4. If successful you are now a full time employee and will enjoy the full benefits on offer and of course with enviable job security.
I personally know of 5 guys that have been through the mill (albeit before the NEC), 2 of them were dropped. One on his performance and the other as he was taken on in July and after TR and Line Training was stood down for the winter and dared to question the management on how he was supposed to survive. Before anyone says the second guy should have known what he was getting into that is not the point I'm trying to make. He was a contractor and was dropped as soon as he put his head above the parapet, plus only has a few hundred bus hours in his book which is useless elsewhere as he didn't get to the magic 500.
Apart from that 2 of the other guys are still there and seem to enjoy it although they do say it is very hard work at times.
Last edited by Mr-P; 28th Aug 2013 at 14:19.