15 Minute Strike
 

Check this out!!! (Sorry if the story has changed - don't know how often the address updates).

Abe

LINK DELETED - STORY CHANGED - BUT READ ON!

What a BL**DY good idea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The URL has changed, in the event of it changing again, here's the text:

UNION SEEKS AIR CONTROL STRIKE
Leaders of air traffic controllers have called for a 15-minute strike in protest at bonuses paid to executives.

The walk-out could cause "havoc" at airports across the country and lead to huge delays in flights.

Union leaders say there is a feeling of "anger" over bonuses of £215,000 and £62,000 paid to two directors of the National Air Traffic Services.

bump...

you have my support!:mad:

Ain't it strange, one minute they are in mega whine about how poor NATS is and the next moment printing out a load of loot to reward themselves with on the splendid success of NERC. On time within budget cough cough!!

edited ' cause it was!!

Oh come ON!!

A couple of executives get a nice big bonus... STOP PRESS!!! :rolleyes:

Yes, NATS and every other company that actually has a board of directors!! Executives get their bonuses, the rest of us get bitter... That's life!!

If every company who's directors received obscene (to the rest of us) wads once in a while went on strike there'd be nothing open to occupy you for those 15 mins!

Or perhaps now would be a good time for someoene to preach the merits of communism... ?

Maybe not...

We all know we'll talk about it. but it won't happen.

Undercover - that's life!!:mad: Let's all sit back and do
nothing. Your attitude, and the many others like you, are
as responsible as bad management for most of our problems.
Just for once, let's do something.

I thought that a bonus was what one received as a thank you for a job well done, and having saved the company from losses or improved profits. Oh dear, I must be mistaken!! I don't really follow the argument about having a nice little backhander for doing a job adequately.

Well done Prospect , what a great bit of Media Management.
It made the Lunchtime news and got interesting replies from both NATS and Bill Semple.
Let's see what tomorrow's press brings.

As for a walk out - well let's see.

Get real. You have all (NATS ATCOs) had a pay rise (10%) while the rest of the aviation community has had none or a cut!!!!!

Yes, as another contributor notes, companies have executives and yes they get bonuses but beware you open Pandoras Box by informing the rest of the aviation world exactly how well you are doing, and yes I do incliude the £500 per day!!!!! extra attendance allowance for ATCOs!!!!!

Read and learn those of you visiting from the real (non-NATS) world...............

Sector8dear

Get your facts right before you wade in. NATS Atcos got less than a 5% pay rise this year, and will be getting even less next year since part of the "10%" you like to quote isn't even awarded until December 2003. :mad: :mad:

As for the so called £500 per day....again, a large number of Atcos are not entitled to this (Airports).....

Huge delays, **** poor management, huge compensation to contractors, massive debt, increase in fees to airlines, rock bottom moral, no pension contributions, staff shortages, need I go on......

I think we have a right to draw attention to the fact the taking of bonuses is more like taking the **** :confused:

Thankyou Ichabod ,
my feelings precisely could not have stated them any better.

Sector8dear, you are falling into the trap management would like us all to fall into. We accepted a pay deal over 2 years not one and my back pay most certainly didnot equate to 10%.

If the bonuses were deserved fair enough, but they are not. if everything worked we had enough staff to cover all positions etc then yes , but it doesn't does it.

If this is the only way we can raise this issue to the general Public then I support it.

I'm sure the public who have been delayed due to sector restrictions caused by staff shortages will be interested to hear that the two people who have got bonuses for a job well done were those who were responsible for the mess.

One of them told the Parliamentary Select Committee that there was a SURPLUS of controllers for NERC. Not 12 months later the new Chief Executive admits that there is a DEFICIT of 41 controllers. Somebody was either incompetent or 'economical with the truth'. For that they get a bonus of £215000 and £62000 at a time when NATS is 'cash-strapped' and applying to the CAA for permission to raise charges.

As usual, Sector8 has missed the point. It is not the cash that we are particularly moaning about (although it does seem odd given all the stories we were told about there being no money in the pot). It's the fact that bonuses are paid for a job well done when it patently hasn't been and when the running of the operation is only held together by a thread on a day-to-day, rob Peter to pay Paul basis.

According to The Times, a 15 minute protest may be illegal because executive bonus does not affect working conditions.
Could we have some ideas for alternative protest.

You can't withdraw labour as a protest to someone else getting something you aren't. That's just childish.

As to the criticism that just accepting it is contributing to poor management... well... I'm sorry but try living in the real world. As employees we do not have a right to a say in how those running the company are chosen or paid.

I've seen many a mention during my time in this company of the ATCO "God Complex". Until recently I'd never seen it manifest with quite such regularity. :p

I am sure there are others who will be able to voice this far for eloquently than I can Undercover, but I am a shareholder and as such I do have a say in such issues.
Our actions are nothing to do with us wanting a bonus,it is to do with the fact that Bonuses should only be paid when they are deserved.
NATs is in an appalling state , moral has never been lower,and services to our customers because of lack of staff suffering.
We are advised there is no money even to pay our modest pay rise (and yes it is modest with the work that we do ) Yet management are able to award themselves massive bonuses.
Why shouldn't we protest.

Torpids


A strike would be illegal, however, it didn't stop tube workers, petrol strikers and - more recently - admin workers from doing the same and getting a result.
As I said, we'll talk about it, but, it won't happen.

Bonuses
 

Undercover

'As employees we do not have a right to a say in how those running the company are chosen or paid'

HOWEVER

As shareholders, we do!!!!

Bonuses
 

firstly - I am p**sed off at the amount of money these people got as bonuses.

However, remember we all got - what was it?- 2% bonus for opening NERC and 1% for completing OCT. It might be the other way round but the point Im making is this.......

Prospect (IPMS) negotiated that for us. The execs are on individual contracts - we don't know what each of them negotiated with the higher echelons. Maybe 10% for opening NERC ? Maybe some ridiculous sum for completing OCT or whatever other objectives they set... Im sure they have as much right to receive any negotiated bonuses as we have.

BUT! if these are bonuses as in.....

"Here's a large sum of money for being a terribly nice chap and to compensate you for having the nasty employees say horrible things about you, and please don't resign, please, pretty please"

Then I think we should protest most militantly.

All Im saying is we need to know the circumstances surrounding the bonuses before we stamp our feet and throw tantrums.

Cheers
VL