Air Terminal Banding

[incise]

Can anyone shed some light on the air terminal / area centre banding, i know they are banded or graded between 1-5, 5 being the highest........eh and thats about it.

Thus my questions are what factors contrbute to the banding being allocated, difference in ATCO salaries between bands, job satisfaction relating to higher/lower banding, career progression limitations due to low banded workplace, and anything else your grey matter can bring to enlighten me.

Also if anyone can tell me the banding of all the Scottish NATS controlled centres/terminals that would be much appreciated.


NO EXCUSES, NO REGRETS !

[Lock n' Load]

Since there is only one centre in Scotland (Scottish Centre, who knew? ;) ) and there are NO "terminals" (but 3 NATS, 1 non-NATS and a few RAF approach radar units, plus a few procedural approach units), your terminology arrouses suspicion. So, do tell. Journo? Wanabe who only reads American literature?

[incise]

a wannabe.....granted. as for 'american literature' is there such a thing? i would hardly classify Mike Moore and Marvel Comics as literature, but Im sure any deviation from the ATC syllabus would seem to read like a Conan Doyle novel to you guys.;)

Why suspicion?, why that particular frame of mind? would i be privy to a culture of fear, cliques and management interferance if i were to take the job?

Anyhow i apologise if my post was somewhat cryptic, but if you could shed some light on the banding issue i would be grateful.

thanks


NO EXCUSES - NO REGRETS !

[250 kts]

Does the band of an individual unit really matter to a wannabee? If you want to become an ATCO in NATS then you will have little say where you get posted to anyway. Just be aware that as a valid ATCO you will earn between £55k and £80k/annum depending on unit at the top of the scale.

[Jerricho]

Why suspicion?, why that particular frame of mind? would i be privy to a culture of fear, cliques and management interferance if i were to take the job?

Maybe because you are using the word "terminal" the way we do over here, which does seem a little strange for someone from the UK.

[ayrprox]

incise
i'll try to be a bit more helpful.
the banding system was bought in here a couple of years ago.there had always been a graded pay scale,but everybody worked off the same scale, depending on where you were the top of the scale topped out at different points resulting in a higher/lower salary. i think that in the US they use a similar system where the busier units get more money than the quieter ones.It was a contentious issue when it was suggested, because it was based on a complexity+amount of traffic equation which many thought was flawed.The outcome was that the two london centres LACC and TC both were put in band 5 whilst the other centres ScoACC,Oceanic and MACC were put in Band 4.On the airport side i am not as well informed but i think that heathrow and maybe gatwick are band 5 but the other airports vary greatly.maybe my colleagues at these places can help you more. needless to say that the banding issue has done nothing but increase the them and us attitude prevelent within the units.
As many at MACC would probably be able to say it is not just the case that they can transfer to the higher banded units for more money.It is by no means impossible but the difficulty appears to be in getting your current unit to release you,as there are not enough people to replace you.
As for job satisfaction,personally i still enjoy going to work(not so much the morning shifts! more of a night owl:E) and the challenge that the job provides on each occasion.Hope this is in some way helpful to you.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayrprox(i didn't do it,nobody saw me do it,you can't prove anything)

[incise]

much appreciated ayrprox, thanks

[055166k]

Good reply ayrprox.
On the banding problem, no-one can say that Scottish or Manchester are less busy than southern units on a man for man workload basis.....and at times those units may match or exceed the London workload. I think I remember that one of the elements in the banding process is directly affected by the continuous nature of the work demand, and it is that added element that pushes London to band 5.
One may argue that before a vote is taken on any proposed pay deal that such factors as fairness and detail are addressed in equal measure; one may unwittingly get more than one bargained [negotiated] for. We have half a chance to redress some of the unfortunate aftershocks from the last vote.
Only a few more days to wait until the ballot result!

[BDiONU]

Banding:

Band 5 - Heathrow, LACC, LTCC, Hurn, HQ Units.

Band 4 - Gatwick, Manchester, ScOACC.

Band 3 - Stansted.

Band 2 to 3 - Birmingham.

Band 2 - Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow Plus: Farnboro, Luton, Southampton, London City, and ranges staff in post before 1/4/04.

Band 2 Aberdeen

Band 1 - Farnboro, Luton, Southampton, London City and ranges staff appointed after 31 March 04.

Dunno why the strange bandings, this is direct from the intranet website http://natsnet/notices/emp_notices/2004/EN122004_ATCO_Scales_Distribution.xls

The spine point system operates within the bands, lowest being 1 and the highest (band 5) SATCO at 21 (with some units having 1/2 points in between).

Regards
BD

[chevvron]

You forgot Bristol and Gibraltar.

[Standard Noise]

Dunno about Gib, but we've been told we're definitely band two. If only they'd give us a feckin' contract!!:mad: :mad:

[BDiONU]

I suppose those 2 units are too new to have made it onto the intranet, I didn't forget I posted exactly what was there. :}

[PPRuNe Radar]

No good posting NATS intranet addresses here for outsiders. The clue is Intranet ;)

[incise]

thanks for taking the time to reply guys, especialy as my wording left my 'as yet, out of his depth' status exposed.

cheers

[av8boy]

ayrprox... Posts which say anything LIKE:
i'll try to be a bit more helpful.
must NEVER be posted within 10 posts after a Jerricho post. I'm sorry, but those are the rules. :hmm:

Dave

[Jerricho]

Got your number Dave.........got your number mate.

:suspect:

[ayrprox]

av8boy

sorry mate, What was i thinking! :p