But that's my point, that once it's accepted that DEC's are permitted to join a company as an accepted part of the recruitment strategy down to the union/company council to implement such terms that control it - I agree that, say, MON would be damaged by for example Eastern skippers crossing over and accepting 70 grand year 5, as a massive pay rise for them.
Bealzebub, I don't know what seat you're in but if you're in the RHS would you not want some mechanism when you move into the left, that if you lost your 90k (or whatever) job you at least have a chance of getting back to 70k and being able to pay for the school fees, cars, mortgage and loans, and don't necessarily have to go back to the bottom, earning 40k and being in the queue with 250 hour cadets who have a fiesta and camp bed to pay for?
However I would also argue that while initially, airlines would doubtlessly see it as an opportunity to bring in cheap labour (although by forcing them to limit the percentage of DECs being brought in to a company you can minimise the problem), the number of captains in the industry doesn't change and the drive of TP (yes, yes, not everybody wants to drive jets, jet jockeys always blah blah...) pilots to move up into jets is unchanged and therefore over time any upset caused by a shift will settle and return to where it was.
However by playing with requirements for hours on type or minimum weight, you can protect things. In any case my major concern isn't people who are just a bit bored and want something new, I only have problems that if you lose your job through bankruptcy or financial crisis you would have to start from scratch again and have to sell your house and everything in it.
It seems grossly unfair and is absolutely not the spirit of a union to effectively look the other way, when their duty should be protection of all of its members, most of all in times of hardship. If it isn't you this time, think about when it IS your time!
Perhaps just a 'contingency' clause could be introduced whereby if a company closes down, agreements can be made with other airlines to prioritise unemployed pilots over internal upgrades?
Problem is though, I suspect as a proposal there would be a great deal of 'well I'm alright Jack, why the hell should I risk my own career progression, I don't even know that guy to feel sorry for him' from members. Sad stuff.
Last edited by 170to5; 14th Dec 2013 at 09:18.