ATSAs and the Select commitee

[Karoshi]

Taken from the Transport select commitee report.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmtlgr/789/78902.htm


"We are not convinced that NATS' systems are sufficiently robust to enable it to reduce the numbers of safety-critical staff. Air traffic control assistants are vital to the safe operation of air traffic control, and it is incredible that NATS intends to reduce their number so soon after moving into a new, highly complex operating environment. It is essential that NATS and the CAA clearly demonstrate a substantially greater level of robustness in computer equipment at Swanwick before embarking on the planned reductions"


A little refreshing given the recent bout of ATSA bashing that has taken place on this forum recently (on the subject of pay rises).

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Karoshi... there are always a few loonies around mate. I have the very highest regard for my ATCA (sorry I'm old fashioned) colleagues.

[Mr_Grubby]

Karoshi,

I go along with the Heathrow Director on this.

After 30+ years I have lost count of the times my skin (or rather Licence) has been saved by a good ATCA/ATSA. I started as one, in 1970, then we were treated as second class. I think we have moved on just a little since. Even the promotion process from ATCA to ATCO, then, was called Class to Class. That shows the amount of influence of the Masonic, ex military hierarchy we had to work under. Thankfully they are long gone. I know we still have problems and I fear the role of the ATSA will always be under estimated. But I for one, ( for what it's worth) appreciate all your efforts.

Mr G. :)

[bagpuss lives]

I always thought ATC was a team game :)

People who insult or devalue ATSA's are idiots.

[White Rose]

Glad to hear it's still a team game, will somebody tell Prospect this - the Engineers and ATSA's must be really hacked off with their recent betrayal. More to the point, if the Engineers and ATSA's do strike in order to try and balance out the pay award, will the ATCO's support them rather than seeing how much can be moved without them as has happened in the (allbeit very distant) past?

[Bigears]

Maybe it will gradually sink into managements skulls that ATSA's aren't an overhead, but an asset......:eek:

[Greebson]

White Rose


The ATCOs didn't betray anyone, they just had the balls to stand up and say no to a crap offer; which is what everyone else is (rightly) doing now.
The question is how do we get everybody pulling together again so we can be the force we always said we were but kept so dry we baked?

[Bern Oulli]

Of course, if everyone doing the "air traffic thing" were all in one union that was only interested in the "air traffic thing" then.........

Nurse, I think I'm due for another of those pills...

[Bev Bevan]

Hear hear, Bern.

Can anyone tell me what is to stop the engineer's and ATCO's section being merged into one? And the ATSA's joining the merged group/section

Is it cos the ATCO's dont want them on board, for whatever reason? (maybe they think they dont need them on board)

Or is there some real practical reason why this cannot happen?


If we were all as one, then it should put an end to management attempts to 'divide and conquer'.. and surely ATSA strength, for example could only benefit the ATCO's?

my £0.02 worth

[Bev Bevan]

Zerouali wrote:
the ATSA's and Engineers take their hats off to the ATCO's for getting themselves an improved deal. The betrayal refers to Tricky Dickies "There is no more money, and this is THE best deal we can offer" junk mail sent to everyone's home.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

this is why PCS (and the engineer') reccomended the offer and got a yes vote.. (in good faith) cos Mgt said there was just no more money... only to find that the ATCO's got an improved offer.. and thats why PCS/Eng. are so angry.
I suspected that this may happen, which explains PCS stating that the result would be set aside if the ATCO's got an improved offer.

we live in interesting times.