I don't think anyone has disagreed with the fact that management are financially motivated to find the least cost solution. So the question is
Have Flybe management chosen the correct path.
Consider what I shall be seeking compensation for.
I will go from a Captains salary of £80,000 to a first officers salary of £50,000 and will be on that for lets say 5 years but it could easily be 10 years if I follow the companies guidance and am lucky enough to get a job with Monarch. That's a loss of earnings of between £150,000 to £300,000 and that's assuming I get a job straight away.
When I moved house a couple of years ago it cost about £40,000. Chances are I will have to relocate.
Then there is my wife's job, she has a good job but may not be able to do it if I have to relocate.
Then there is the stress that we are all being, unfairly, subjected to now. I for one have not had more than 5 hours sleep a night since this started!
And last but definitely not least are the court costs.
Multiply that lot by 150 and it adds up to............ A LOT
Now compare that to the costs involved in following the policy
Well to be fair we need to see the retraining and relocation costs from the company but many of us have Dash ratings already and as for published relocation costs, they are no way near what I shall be seeking compensation for!
Then lets look at the people who would be made redundant.
Most will be First Officers at the beginning of their careers. they will have read the redundancy policy and could not really claim to be surprised that the company followed the policy.
They will probably get a better if not similarly paid job else where so little or no lost earnings
They are probably in rented accommodation as they like to move around progressing their careers so moving costs are minimal.
They will probably get a job more quickly too. I guess most employers looking for First Officers would favour experienced FO's over experienced Captains.
They too will suffer the stress, I know that, I lost my FO's position and it sucked! But looking back I was lucky not to have a mortgage, wife and kids and an elderly parent to support!
Then there is the question of whether they would want to take the company to court. Its a small industry and when your working your way up do you want the trouble maker label? Some will and some will not.
As for me, my blood is boiling as are many of my colleagues. I'm prepared to fight this all the way, even if it costs me my career!
To those that say "If company policy doesn't match the law it's not worth the paper it's written on" I disagree.
If it were that simple there would not be a legal industry!
There are issues over custom and practise, the fact that LIFO was applied in January this year and age discrimination to mention just a few.
On age discrimination, bear in mind, new pilots are of all ages thanks to age discrimination legislation, not so for the most senior.
So are 150 senior pilot tribunals, through Balpa or privately, really going to be cheaper than following the written policies? I think not!
In fact I think the management's present course is taking a hell of a risk with share holders money!