APP vs. ACC salary

[Hubbi]

Recently PANSA (ATS suplier in Poland) started to pay different money to Warsaw approach controllers (5 percent) than to ACC guys. The fact is that for a long time these two have been the same. The difference was based on the years of experience and ratings, and night add-ons, but for the same ratings and experience - income was the same.

As a radar approach controller (the one getting less for a month), I am curious how it works in different units.
Can you, guys, give me some details?
Frankly, we were really surprised, for we all sit in the same ops room and till last month we were paid equally. Now you can imagine how this change influenced ACC-APP relationships.. ;-)
It is hard to say "give me five"... ;-)

[Short Approach?]

In Copenhagen it's still the same. Supply/demand tells me that it might change soon though.

[Spitoon]

Where I have seen differentials in pay are where there are different traffic densities - i.e. the busier the place, the higher the pay scale.

But there is often a perception, reflected in pay, that area is more vlauable than aerodrome/terminal disciplines. As an aerodrome/approach person I have always recognised that area people do a different job when you look at the details - although I might be tempted to argue that a greater range of skills is needed to do aerodrome/terminal work.

Having seen so many ANSPs focus on training area controllers over recent years, as short says, you may find that the supply of experienced aerodrome type controllers drying up. It has always struck me as strange that all these highly paid HR people (many of whom have been on a higher basic salary than me) seem unuable to predict ATC staff needs even over a relatively short period when to those of us on the unit it has been obvious, Even the simple things like who was reaching retirement when seem to have been overlooked in some manpower plans. And as for trying to explain why you need to recruit a replacement controller before the 'old' one leaves.........:rolleyes:

OK, I think the rant is over!

[eagleflyer]

...controllers get paid according to the place they´re working at, regardless of if they´re doing APP, ACC or both. Some distinctions are made in maximum board time or holiday leave.

And it´s interesting to learn that management seems to be similarly incompetent all over the world when it comes to planning staff numbers for the future.

[Hubbi]

Any more comments?
Actually we are a bit angry (APP staff) because of the above mentioned situation. We have been provided with the explanation, that almost everywhere in the world, and especially in EU ATCOs are paid according to the income worked out by the unit, not the traffic density or airspace complexity. So it is obvious, that rates generated by the ACC give bigger amounts (just because of time flown from boundary to boundary) than any other unit. Anyhow, as much as emotions are concerned we feel that it is not the way it should work. It was bad idea to start the discussion "whose work is better, more important, or harder", but it happends. The discussion has begun. Especially that it is not a really big difference, just 5%, but it looks like some kind of sign or message...

What I want to know, just for the sake of being informed at least as well as our authorithies, if there are such tendencies anywhere. Until now every example only confirms that it is mostly the traffic flow what makes a difference.

Guys, share your knowledge please!!!!

[tobzalp]

Knowing that everyone I work with knows who I am from here, I have no shame in answering this thread. I trained on Approach last year and I pulled the pin still in the simulator stage. Apart from some very time heavy personal pursuits getting in the way of work (or the other way around), APP is dramatically harder/constant than Enroute. I would say at least 200% How about that as a pay differential.

There is no way I would go and bash my head against that wall for another 30 years. People used to look up to the APP guys in the old centre but now instead I just pity them. What a **** job for no thanks. Where I work we get paid the same and the cherry to step up is just not there, especially as professional pride is disappearing at an alarming rate. I think that they are going to have real problems in the future staffing when the old school pack up.