PaulDeGearup
18th May 2002, 14:46
Should we, in the UK and Europe, go on strike, ATC and all aircrew until the UK govt stop allowing non EU crews to work here?
Your opinion would be valuable.
Young Paul
19th May 2002, 19:01
! None of the above. Yes, flagging out does matter immensely - if it is not acceptable for me to work for an American airline, or even based in the U.S. [?] why should a U.S. citizen be allowed to work here.
But who exactly would you be striking against? The government, since it is the CAA and Dept of Trade or something who allows it to happen? It wouldn't affect them - they'd just get a few zillion more applications for flagging out agreements! The operators importing crews? If you were working for them, they presumably wouldn't be importing.
I'm afraid you have to pursue this through the proper democratic process. Write to your MP. Send press releases. Get the union involved.
A propos of which, interestingly, there was a situation a while ago (correct me if I'm wrong, somebody) in which BA wanted to import a load of American 146 pilots, when there were hundreds of British type-rated pilots on the dole. BALPA didn't protest.
It was only when the Independent Pilots' Association wrote to USALPA and explained what this would mean to UK pilots that the US pilots realised what this would mean to their colleagues in the UK, and decided not to come.
Curiously, a few days later, BA launched a big expansion at LGW, and the government sent a minister down to publically commend BA for creating jobs in the UK.
Sorry to be scathing, but this is a really silly poll. I strongly suggest that you reword it.