View Full Version : media speculation - easyJet pilots to strike?
newswatcher
2nd Aug 2002, 15:39
Pilots at easyJet are threatening to take strike action, the Evening Standard has learned.
Growing numbers of pilots at the company are calling for industrial action, claiming the airline, founded by Greek millionaire Stelios Haji-Ioannou, is paying them less than their peers working for go - the rival low-cost operator recently bought by easyJet.
The Evening Standard has learned that at a meeting this week, a number of easyJet pilots in the British Airline Pilots' Association urged a vote for a strike if the company failed to improve its pay rise offer of 2.3 per cent for captains and 1.3 per cent for first officers.
On average, easyJet pays captains base salaries of £60,000 and first officers £38,000.
An easyJet spokesman said that while its pay scales were lower than starting salaries at go, the overall package was almost identical when pension contributions, food and other elements were considered.
flappless
2nd Aug 2002, 22:11
The Evening Standard also needs to learn that EJ have less than 50% membership which makes a strike a pipe dream. Wakey wakey Guys and Gals
overstress
2nd Aug 2002, 22:41
At least the F/Os get £38k. That's £6k more than I get as a BA F/O. At least, before the BA strike later this year ;)
Shuttleworth
2nd Aug 2002, 23:02
Fantastic to see this in the media. I'm delighted.
Surely we all hope that management will fear the potential impact on ticket sales.
The possible outcome is that negotiations over pay/contracts will proceed quickly and have a more favourable outcome for pilots.
Best wishes to the EJ pilots in their endeavours.
Groundhog Night
3rd Aug 2002, 07:19
Balpa membership may be less than 50% now but the way things are shaping up at grass roots that will grow again.
BTW I hear GO membership is rising steadily as they begin to take on board the Orange reality!!
10 million in bosses bonuses, eh, nice to see an honest days work recognised and rewarded. Or rather it would be!!
Notso Fantastic
3rd Aug 2002, 08:42
>>Fantastic to see this in the media. I'm delighted. <<
Why thank you Sir! I shall try not to disappoint!
maxfactor
3rd Aug 2002, 12:39
Flappless,
Don't underestimate the strength of feeling amongst the pilots/cabin crew. Morale is rock bottom and Webster's spin is not being taken seriously.
Max
flappless
3rd Aug 2002, 14:21
maxfactor,
I support the cause of EJ pilots - I was trying to make the point that to win the battle you HAVE to have solidarity and strength in numbers, otherwise your management will laugh at you. I would encourage ALL EJ pilots to join up even if only to get the vote.
Is BALPA "recognised" in EJ?
A good result on an EJ payrise can only help the rest of us in the industry.
springbok449
4th Aug 2002, 20:26
I would say that the strike issue is not only about pay but about lifestyle and stability or the lack of it!!
GULFPILOT76
5th Aug 2002, 20:11
That last one (springboks) is affecting almost the entire industry,
not only E J. The young boy's dream is turning more and more into a bad dream.
yankee charlie
6th Aug 2002, 13:38
I believe EZY pilots should go on strike look at the following issues:
unstable roster, long hrs, disciplinary actions because of fatigue, 10 millions in bonuses for senior executives and so on.....
Welcome on board to all GO pilots.
By the way Cabin Crew and Ground Services are taking strike actions soon they are discussing the matter with T&G.
Life is not easy at EZY.
Fasten your seat belt we will have some turbulence soon.
Son Of Piltdown
6th Aug 2002, 14:50
>>disciplinary actions because of fatigue<<
Would you like to elaborate on this one?
We all know that you should not fly when fatigued.
Are easyJet bullying crews into flying when they should be resting?
chilled
6th Aug 2002, 16:40
Hi all,
There have been no disciplinary procedures taken against any crewmember at easyJet for being fatigued!
Just like all other airlines easyJet take this matter very seriously as safety of our crew let alone the passengers must come first.
happy flying all :)
Billy Whizz
6th Aug 2002, 20:22
Chilled,
Please don't come up with the safety Blah. I presume you have not flown on the line recently? Pilots are working in excess of 101hrs duty in 14 days and regularly busting 55 hrs duty in 7 days. Point this out to crewing and they say that because a week starts at 0001hrs on a Monday you can go take a hike. Easyjet is exploiting this loophole in FTL's to the max at the moment.
Pilots are being rostered to work into their 7th duty day at 0300 local having done over 23 sectors in the duty week. This will invariably involve 3 0600 local reports to start and swap to 3 late p.m. finishes. The company management are completely out of touch with the shambles at present, we don't have to strike for easyjet to grind to a halt, all we have to do is refuse roster changes and discretion.
Hmmmm - the thing is, there IS an airline in the UK, where you are paid well, have a good lifestyle and have about as rock-solid a roster as you can get.
It's called "Go".
:mad:
cheer up
6th Aug 2002, 21:23
Zulu - sorry mate , but that is all to end - hopefully we may get some of your management input to put an end to the chaos here.
Chilled - wind your kneck in - their are pilots who made the mistake of calling 'fatigued' instead of sick and have been duly punished.:mad:
goeing
6th Aug 2002, 23:27
Chilled,
Show me a pilot (or cabin crew) that is "Happy Flying" with ej at the moment!
We might be a little happier if lifestyle issues were addressed, and perhaps a share of your £10 million bonus?
Son Of Piltdown
7th Aug 2002, 05:19
I wish Go had bought easyJet - we need better management cultures in the industry.
yankee charlie
8th Aug 2002, 06:50
Chilled,
It looks that you are not online anymore, you problably don`t even know what an aircraft looks like. Why don`t you get into your uniform and start flying again.
On Monday a crewmember reported for a LGW-EDI-LGW and then we gave him a roster change to operate the following LGW-EDI-LGW-AMS-LTN + taxi back to LGW.
What about lifestyle issues? If you are part of the management why don`t you address these issues before the pilots take strike action.
Again don`t tell us that EZY take safety seriously as pilots have been disciplined for fatigue, performance manuals out of date, dispatchers working up to 16 hrs day!!!!!!!!!
Be honest for once chilled tell the truth.