The impending sale of NATS
 

It seems both the Airline Group and the Government would like to cash in on their shareholding of NATS.

Both of these shareholders will be looking to maximise the price they get from the sale so it’s reasonable to assume that any buyer will want to maximise yearly profits.

NATS is currently two companies; NERL & NSL. The vast majority of NATS’s profits comes from NERL.

When a company is sold the employee’s terms and conditions do have some legal protection but not all terms and conditions are protected and the protection does not last forever.

What is the worst case scenario for Staff?

If you wear a headset prepare to be shafted but keep your job, if you don't wear one........:uhoh:

It seems that a possible buyer is Global Infrastructure Partners. These are the people who own KK and LCY, so NATS would fit with their previous purchases. According to the Sunday Times NATS is on their wish list.

i wear a headset and i am very worried about the eventual sale of NATS. Ts & Cs are bound to change without any shadow of a doubt. What can we do? Hope!!!

All that will happen is that revenue earners for the company will get screwed and the managers undoubtedly get more and more "bonuses".

what ever happened to a basic wage and that was your job, if you didn't do it, then you got fired......:mad:

We can gather our collective backbone for once and stand up for ourselves. If we end up being walked over it will only be because we've allowed it.

Will an eventual sale, whoever its to, have any ramifications upon recruitment/selection for trainee ATCOs in any way? ie. recruitment freeze/change in selection process etc.

Conspiracy Theories said:

You want to count up the number of allowances and lump sum payments that relate to those with headsets on? The money going on management "bonuses" doesnt come even close to competing.

I really dont see a lot changing if shares are sold. Our current shareholders have a vested interest in the future performance of the company. Sure, they want costs driven down and performance increased... The CEO seems keen to increase the employee slice too.

My main concern is the pension - will the new owners seek to boost profits by reducing their contributions, maybe even decide they want nothing to do with the CAA Scheme.

After talking to friends whose companies have been taken over in the past fews years by investment groups I also have very serious concerns about our general Terms and Conditions and even our pay.

With NATS seemingly up for sale I think we as employees need to get our act together very quickly.

Personally I'd like to see the Unions coming out and state a few lines in the sand. I'd also like to see Working Together linked to these lines in the sand. Working Together has to become much more of a two way street.

Unfortunately "working together" now seems to be carried out by an inner circle of union reps, who see positive stroking of management with "green traffic lights" as the ultimate reward. Heaven forbid they should dish out a "flickering amber" which would send management quaking in their boots.
I know, I am a union rep who sees it first hand but is not in the "inner circle".
Management now have the union where they want, weak and plyable and they can dish out reds and ambers too :eek:

I despair at times....we are becoming a mockery:ugh:

I wonder if this "Line on the sand" is the same as the "keeping the powder dry" that has been prevalent since the late 1970s when I joined.

Air Farce 1 Your concerns about the union are well founded. For many years now Prospect has existed primarily to further the interests of the "Southern " section and in particular Swanwick. If the company is sold off the majority af any "pain" will be borne by those of us in NSL and NPC.:cool:

Try Googling 'TUPE'. Basically your T&C's are protected and have to be honoured by the new company until such time as staff and management negotiate new ones. Does not apply to pensions :{

Well it seems to be Red at Swanwick right now.

Based on what?

Is it red ? Normally its confidential .

"Based on what?"
Well unit banding is a prime example.

Exactly so. Inevitably Swanwick, Prestwick and NSL will be sold off as three separate entities. Who knows, PC could be sucked into Swanwick with little impact on service delivery. The Oceanic element which is a major earner for NATS can fit into one half of a tennis court or a large living room. NATS have gained nothing by moving Manch to PC and have spent a fortune doing do. Although rumour has it that the Manch double manning with their own unique method of operation which has not changed could rapidly do so once a "certain person" goes to Swanwick in April. This would leave a surplus of around 40 ATCO 's at PC. Now does anyone think our new owners will stand for that := . Traffic which was planned to rise 3% year on year till 2020 is now decreasing at a similar rate, and when the recession really kicks in things aint gonna look so good :eek:

Allegedly £25,000,000 on relocation costs alone.-That's more than a coal-miner earned in a month.
Certainly enough to build a new sub-centre at EGCC, at the base of the new tower. Oh, which has just been cancelled.
Calling 'Prospect'...............Hello.........is there anyone out there?

Not at Swanwick it isn't, and why would or should it be? It is all over the screens around the unit which carry the ;atest information and propoganda.

Zooker, what are you on about??????????? BLX (in Swedish) as usual?

Not going to go into banding as it's been done to death on here. But I do seem to remember that one or two NSL units came out of it unbelievably well and on the NERL side there was really no surprise unless it was decided to have different bands within the same unit.

Why would a method of operation suddenly change because a manager departs. Either it is a recognised and safe method or it isn't. I would suggest that should any adverse change be attempted by management then it should be resisted vehemently.

If you know where he was before PC then you will know why

Knots, good evening. :ok:
Do elaborate petal, allegedly my ancestors were Vikings. :E