DEC’s are an inevitability given the circumstances and in principle justifiable for any airline. The letter is at least a heads up that the decision has been formally made and probably an attempt to control the many rumors that generally surrounds this type of event.
It’s out in the open and plainly explained. However I think most of the posters on this forum are perhaps missing the subtext and once again being distracted by the magicians in the bouncy castle.
The general context on this forum is that those management types are a bunch of incompetent idiots who make one mistake after another. Nothing could be further from the truth. The minds up there that manipulate the T&C’s the FTL’s etc are very smart and light years ahead of general pilot group. They have the following advantages:
- Many of them are more experienced in a management role. They do this all day and learn.
- They have access to information and statistics that employees don’t have.
- They have the benefit of synergy. Most options are discussed and deliberated in teams.
- They have the benefit of technology. Scenarios, cost outcomes, crewing are all trial run on software.
- Their planning is not reactive. Often it is strategized years in advance and changes made subtly and over time to the final outcome. The pilots react to each itemized change rather than the macro change.
- They are coherent, briefed and hold a common “business case” line. Employees react individually, emotionally, without full facts.
- They have the communications and broadcast ability to propagate and support decisions and the given reasoning. They can spin the public perception. Likewise they have the ability to ignore, obfuscate or muzzle any dissent.
- They have the authority and the power. Agencies can authorize, lawyers can support.
For these reasons the changes have been to their advantage and not to the benefit of the employees whose detriment is beyond reasonable argument.
This is not peculiar to this company, it is a growing phenomenon of the 21st century where ever bigger companies have the clout to push through what they like with little objection of the various regulatory authorities whose very job is to control the power of large entities. In this era authorities are lobbied and bought. It eventually results in tears but the minions do the crying.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a supporter of those who design and support these changes. I believe what goes on is immoral, manipulative, and usurious and flies in the face of all that is good, honest and human. I would rather have less but be able to look at myself in the mirror. However to call them stupid IS stupid.
But back to the debate and my own suspicions; perhaps publicizing the basic decision of recruiting DEC is with the deliberate intention to distract those affected with the outrage that is evident. Angry people tend not to think and become myopic.
I believe the focus should be on what has not been said. And acknowledging the reasons they can get all the DEC’s they like, contrary to some views posted.
In one word: money.
What is promised is that “career paths will not be adversely affected”. What is not mentioned is the salary at which the DEC’s will enter on. That is up to discussion and negotiation. At all grades of employment in the company, the salary has a bracket. The company will advertise and offer the lowest (obviously) but are able to vary this, depending on how much they like and need the candidate. HR must have the ability to negotiate with any new employees.
Likewise within the pilot pay scales this can be done and has been done in the past.
Pilot salaries are from Step 1 to 30. A third year FO getting upgraded goes from level 3 up 12 steps to level 15. Logically one would then surmise that a DEC should come in at Step 13, as if he came in at Step 1 and a day later jumped 12 steps. Do the math on the figures on the employment site and this will be evident. Step 13 is exactly what they advertise less 85 flying hours. (As an aside, it is worth noting that 85 block hours a month, as advertised, is 1020 a year. That is the expectation of us all and should ring bells with prospective pilots looking at the type of flying on the A330 and B777 while factoring in life in Dubai in general)
Everyone seems to assume the salary for a DEC would be lower than existing captains and would fit into some equitable schedule. In fact this used to be the case, for many years the salary scale was transparently published with explanatory notes. Shortly before the initial large DEC intake this quietly disappeared taking the published system with it.
However, if the company needs DEC’s enough there is nothing to stop them employing at, say, level 20. If an FO employed on Step 1, finally gets his upgrade after 4 years of being here he will jump to level 17. However the upgraded FO will forever be behind on salary even though he did his RHS time, is senior and is also now a captain.
The question has never been whether they will take DEC’s and lamenting the injustices of being held back. No - the question should be “What will they be paid?” and “When I make it to Captain after swallowing the bitter pill of “operational or training need” will I be the same or better off than the DEC?”
Those are the real questions I would be asking. And openly publishing that the ultimate outcome will be kept in an equitable financial order would be the right and sensible thing to do.