Sometimes I really wonder........
Thread Starter
Sometimes I really wonder........
.....if ATC chiefs today live in the real world. I love my job, but I find that I despair more and more at the intransigent and often contemptible attitudes of our modern day directors and senior managers. Roll on retirement! 
More than just an ATCO
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Up someone's nose
Age: 75
Posts: 1,768
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Avman To misquote the punchline of an old joke, "I may be mad, but I'm not 
stupid."
So La Belle Etage is living down to its old reputation again. What else could be expected from such a bunch of time servers and sycophants (sp?).
I was told when I officially went that they were sorry to lose my experience, however they didn't seem to be considering this when pushng in November and I left with no roblems (= problems but with no Peeing about)
For most of my 35 years I thought it could only get better, but with the benefit of hindsight from Dennis Watkins it only went downhill.
Unfortunately the inverse of the old saying, "Life is like a sandwich; the more bread you have the less you have to eat." looks like being proven with the news about salaries for the next year at least. Well they have to pay contractors somehow.
See you on the outside soon, I hope
Lon More, here before Pontius was a Pilot, or Mortus a Rigger
Why when I type in do I get 5 censored, but with sh1t there are none?
stupid."So La Belle Etage is living down to its old reputation again. What else could be expected from such a bunch of time servers and sycophants (sp?).
I was told when I officially went that they were sorry to lose my experience, however they didn't seem to be considering this when pushng in November and I left with no roblems (= problems but with no Peeing about)
For most of my 35 years I thought it could only get better, but with the benefit of hindsight from Dennis Watkins it only went downhill.
Unfortunately the inverse of the old saying, "Life is like a
sandwich; the more bread you have the less you have to eat." looks like being proven with the news about salaries for the next year at least. Well they have to pay contractors somehow.See you on the outside soon, I hope
Lon More, here before Pontius was a Pilot, or Mortus a Rigger
Why when I type in
do I get 5 censored, but with sh1t there are none?
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Problem is with the people who let such things get to them.
I had a very simple philosophy - working for NATS gave me the very best working conditions, with loads of money and loads of time off, I could ever hope for (based on my experience abroad and non-State). I was doing a job I wanted to do from the time I was about 10 and revelled in every single second of it. I never let "management" worry me. As long as I got paid and got my days off I was happy. Dead simple - go to work, plug in, provide the very best possible service to the aircraft, unplug and go home..
There are millions and millions of people worse off, believe me. I've met a lot of retired folk since I left and I seem to be unique in having enjoyed my job.... and having a damned good pension after only 31 years service.
If you really hate it get another job... a neighbour of ours worked 80 hours a week and he wife used to say "But of course he has a very good job". Still see him occasionally in his wheelchair after his third stroke......
I had a very simple philosophy - working for NATS gave me the very best working conditions, with loads of money and loads of time off, I could ever hope for (based on my experience abroad and non-State). I was doing a job I wanted to do from the time I was about 10 and revelled in every single second of it. I never let "management" worry me. As long as I got paid and got my days off I was happy. Dead simple - go to work, plug in, provide the very best possible service to the aircraft, unplug and go home..
There are millions and millions of people worse off, believe me. I've met a lot of retired folk since I left and I seem to be unique in having enjoyed my job.... and having a damned good pension after only 31 years service.
If you really hate it get another job... a neighbour of ours worked 80 hours a week and he wife used to say "But of course he has a very good job". Still see him occasionally in his wheelchair after his third stroke......
Guest
Posts: n/a
Althought HD, you didn't get "loads of money and loads of time off" through the goodness of our management's combined hearts.
Someone else on your/my/our behalf put in a lot of work to win these terms and conditions for us, despite the fact that they seem to get little thanks and lots of grief for doing so.
WF.
Someone else on your/my/our behalf put in a lot of work to win these terms and conditions for us, despite the fact that they seem to get little thanks and lots of grief for doing so.
WF.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<Someone else on your/my/our behalf put in a lot of work to win these terms >>
Not in dispute and I am very grateful. However, the people who do that work actually enjoy doing it, otherwise they wouldn't do it, so I don't feel at all guilty at never having involved myself. If I had been a negotiator we'd probably still be using quill pens and earning 10 quid a week (exactly my first pay packet in ATC!).
Not in dispute and I am very grateful. However, the people who do that work actually enjoy doing it, otherwise they wouldn't do it, so I don't feel at all guilty at never having involved myself. If I had been a negotiator we'd probably still be using quill pens and earning 10 quid a week (exactly my first pay packet in ATC!).
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
10 quid a week ????
When I joined Air Traffic we went on a night shift and continued to a morning shift just for fun !!! We turned up for an afternoon shift just in case they needed us and washed the ATCO I/C car if we were not fortunate enough to be chosen to work...
eee you young lads who retired early have all the perks ... me ? I've been in ATC since before it was invented ..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
When I joined Air Traffic we went on a night shift and continued to a morning shift just for fun !!! We turned up for an afternoon shift just in case they needed us and washed the ATCO I/C car if we were not fortunate enough to be chosen to work...
eee you young lads who retired early have all the perks ... me ? I've been in ATC since before it was invented ..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
niknak
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HD has a very valid point though.
We are in one of the best jobs going - very few offer more money for similar conditions of service and as much time off.
I tried management once, God knows why - I think I fell off a tall building and hit my head very hard - and guess what? for the few extra quid, it simply wasn't worth the hassle.
Thankfully I hit myself on the head again and got back into the real world.
Now I go to work, do the job to the best of my ability, go home, get paid, and let others who have asperations (some below, some above their abilities), do the worrying for me.
Short of being able to retire on a £10m lottery win, I quite happy to do that until its time to pick up the long service award, and if you think there's something wrong with that you need your head testing.
We are in one of the best jobs going - very few offer more money for similar conditions of service and as much time off.
I tried management once, God knows why - I think I fell off a tall building and hit my head very hard - and guess what? for the few extra quid, it simply wasn't worth the hassle.
Thankfully I hit myself on the head again and got back into the real world.
Now I go to work, do the job to the best of my ability, go home, get paid, and let others who have asperations (some below, some above their abilities), do the worrying for me.
Short of being able to retire on a £10m lottery win, I quite happy to do that until its time to pick up the long service award, and if you think there's something wrong with that you need your head testing.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Asgard
Posts: 488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HD:
I am approaching an early retirement (as yet unsuspected by the employer) and view the prospect with very mixed feelings. My experiences are very much those of yours, and I suspect a large number of our contemporaries.
The more positive aspects, in addition to those you mention, include working with some of the finest people one could ever hope to meet. True, there have been a few dodgy characters too, but I believe these may be fewer in number than in any "traditional" working environment.
I am approaching an early retirement (as yet unsuspected by the employer) and view the prospect with very mixed feelings. My experiences are very much those of yours, and I suspect a large number of our contemporaries.
The more positive aspects, in addition to those you mention, include working with some of the finest people one could ever hope to meet. True, there have been a few dodgy characters too, but I believe these may be fewer in number than in any "traditional" working environment.
