LIFO
As one of the pilots on the jet fleet at risk of redundancy I have to say that there needs to be some system in place to protect loyalty surely? If all airlines are just allowed to make people redundant at the drop of a hat everytime they move or remove an airframe then none of us can sleep soundly in our beds at night can we?
The point about LIFO is that when you join an airline you know you're vulnerable - but its the price you pay for getting a job. As you stay with an employer and advance your career you expect that your loyalty to the firm will result in increased job security. The crucial point is that both the Flybe written policy F and also the pilot employment contract state quite plainly that LIFO will be used as the basis for any redundancies and indeed this fact has been widely accepted by both management and the pilot community. It is this sudden shifting of the goalposts with no union negotiation that is so abhorrent and why so many of the affected pilots are considering legal action. The original poster is right though - as a membership we have all paid our subs over many years (and BALPA membership isn't cheap). Now at a time when the very basis of our contract is being attacked we need BALPA to fight for us in court if necessary. As individual pilots facing redundancy we should not be forced to engage in legal action on our own - this is a battle BALPA must fight if they wish to protect the employment rights enshrined in the written policy - and its outcome has ramifications in all airlines.
Retraining people may not be as expensive as the company likes to claim. They are currently paying for simulators, line trainers and TRI's whether they are using them or not. Many of us still hold valid Q400 type ratings and last flew it within 2 or 3 years. The truth is that a couple of sim sessions and an LPC would see many back on line and a bit of live training could follow. We're not talking about the company having to provide a full type rating for 150 people. In addition as a compromise I suspect many would be prepared to contribute to the training cost if it secures their job - however that isn't an option that is currently being offered...