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Anotherthing,
There are ATCO's working at CTC on future tools development - as well as staying current in their ops room. There are also some experienced former operational ATSA's, all working to ensure that ATC requirements are what actually drives tools development, within the constraints of budgets, timescales and engineering. If you're concerned about EFD, you can get involved! The ATC lead for TC EFD is well known, and he has a team of users as well, contact him and get on that. Then you can actually be involved in shaping what you get, influencing the project. Of course, to do that you have to raise your head above the parapet, which is more difficult than commenting from the sidelines. |
Beaver
Thanks for the 'career' advice. I have been heavily involved in several projects, the last one finished a few months ago. I still have 3 extraneous sets of ongoing (unrenumerated) work (not projects, but ever present jobs) over and above controlling that I (am paid to) do - I'm not doing anymore and may even drop some or all of those if the pay deal does not get sorted soon... I'm happy to give my input, but there is only so much of my own time I am willing to give up for nothing. I am concerned about EFD - as are a lot of my colleagues. I don't think EFPS will work in TC, at least not enhance the operation. If I am wrong, then I will happily use the thing - however what this company sometimes fails to realise is that new technology does not always mean it's better or more suited technology. AMAN is still more labour intensive and less accurate than the old EAT PC. iFACTS ... progressing well, not. If it works; all well and good, we will embrace change. However there is nothing wrong with a bit of cynicism - it balances out the people on the other side of the fence who cannot see past technology and don't recognise it's failings. As for EFD - I know a few people working on it, there are concerns within the team re the sutability for a busy radar environment. Time will tell. |
Dont forget not to create a blocking strip. Do they not test NAS after a DD&C rather than wait til the morning rush? Expect some people will be getting bonuses for N17 idrop, yet more wasted money on bonuses for managers for things that dont work properly on implementation |
many tentacles
yes a slight problem, am sure you will find out on your morning shift tomorrow, they have done another software drop to try and correct problem, but seem too scared to test it and we are still not to create blocking strips. Just makes you think what problems are there going to be before/if IFACTS actually comes in |
Air Traffic Staff Postpone Pay Talks
Just received my February issue of Profile, the union rag.
On page 13, I stumbled across this little article – copied in full, grammatical errors in the article text are not mine - I copied verbatim. Thing is, I cannot recall receiving any communication since the pension vote informing us that we are delaying pay talks. Has anyone received such notification? Are the union failing once again in communication, one of the biggest issues we complained about during the pension debacle, an issue they promised to resolve? More to the point, are the union falling over themselves to appease management? We should be pushing hard, not waiting to see if the economy gets better, or even worse. Or is this a case of a very poorly worded and timed article - in which case surely the union should not allow such poor standards in their official literature (another example of shocking communication skills). My comments are in red. Air traffic control officers and system specialists at NATS have delayed talks on the 2009 pay round until the spring because of the deteriorating economic situation, after voting in favour of controversial changes to their pension scheme. The NATS trade union side had submitted a claim for an increase for all staff from January based on the August 20098 RPI figure, which stood at 4.8%, plus 1%. The claim, submitted in September by the trade union side, noted that NATS had posted profits for 5 years running – with a cumulative total of £329m – and reduced debts by £164m over the same period. At the same time the volume of air traffic had increased by 22%. National secretary, Garry Graham said: ”We recognise the economic circumstances have changed since the claim was lodged and that there is a significant gap between our positions” said Graham. “However, we believe that the significant increases in productivity achieved by members should be reflected in the pay offer to all NATS staff.” On pensions, the negotiating team set out to protect existing members of the scheme, ensure new arrangements were flexible enough to stand the test of time and provide a high quality scheme for the future. (I was under the impression that the negotiating team had set out to protect the pension for all – OneNATSOnePension I seem to recall... maybe that was a lie from the outset.) The deal approved by the members ballot includes: a 15 year cap on future pensionable pay from Jan 01; the introduction of a more efficient way of paying pension contributions – to be up an running in 2010 (why so long?); and a new defined contribution scheme to be implemented on April 1. National secretary Garry Graham said the vote was a positive step towards securing pension provision for the future. “Work on the detail of the defined contribution scheme and SMART pensions is continuing” (I was under the impression that only the MOU was to be finalised, after all, we were balloted on set values for SMART pensions and the defined contribution scheme, were we not?) “However, we believe that the significant increases in productivity achieved by members should be reflected in the pay offer to all NATS staff.” For all of the company ‘yes’ men (I don’t necessarily mean anyone who voted ‘yes’ to the pension), on the same page as this article there is a list of pay deals (2008 and 2009) that have been agreed. Amongst them (specifically 2009 deals): Audit Commission – 4.9% BAE Land Systems Munitions – 5.6% There are also listed, a lot of late 2008 pay deals,just finalised, in the region of 3-5% So asking for a rise is not out of the question, and does not mean, (contrary to what some of you management lackeys try to claim), that we are not living in the real World. Unfortunately, it is looking increasingly obvious that the Union is not prepared to fight for members. |
anotherthing
You beat me to it! I can't believe I hear about our postponement of pay talks in a magazine that has obviously had it's articles ready for publication for at least a week. We have a union notice board at work and it would of been nice to have had a notice from Prospect letting their members know that we have put the pay deal on the back burner. We have already had our pay talks delayed due to the pension proposals taking priority during the autumn, god knows how much this has already cost us with RPI falling almost 1% a month and now more delay which can only be a bad thing as the economy will get worse the longer we leave it. Come on Prospect stop "working together" with management and letting them "manage your expectations" and start working for your members and communicating what is happening, even if it is bad news. I pay my £15.30 a month for you to negotiate the very best terms and conditions for me and my fellow members, I'm not convinced my money is being well spent at the moment. |
My impression of our Union Secretary, Mr Garry Graham, gained from listening to him at several pensions presentations, was that he resented the pay that ATCOs already received and was not supportive of us (or our aspirations) in any way whatsoever.
This latest piece of brilliance only serves to confirm my viewpoint. If he doesn't feel he can represent us or put forward our claims, then sack him, and find someone else who actually is willing to stand up for us. |
Does anyone have an e-mail for our hallowed secretary?
I would like to send him one, asking on whose authority he has postponed pay talks. I know the Union can do certain things unilaterally, in the best interests of the membership, however is postponing talks in our best interest? I would be grateful if anyone can pass on the e-mai address, it may be worth others raising the question as well... |
I don't know if anyone else saw the article in Prospect on Page 12 - just opposite the one about us lot:
It seems a little at odds with what Prospect seem to be trying to achieve for us. This is the interesting bit in my opinion: All the indications are that the UK will move into the uncharted territory of negative inflation by early Spring and this could continue until the turn of the year. According to Incomes Data Services, the low point is expected in September when RPI could fall to -2.7%. The obvious danger is that employers will seize on this opportunity to curb pay increases. But while recognising that some sectors of the economy are genuinely hard pressed, it is as well to remember that for the majority it should be business as usual. Whether preparing to negotiate a new settlement or mid-way through a long-term RPI linked deal, there is a good case to be made for a decent pay rise in 2009. First, experience from recent recessions when inflation has fallen sharply is that settlements reach a floor above inflation - usually around 2%. Although these did not involve negative inflation, the fact that the government's own inflation target is 2% provides a compelling reason not to dip below this level - not least for it's own employees........ .......Second, economic recovery - and hence the profitability of business - depends on stimulating demand or......So, in the current climate, wage growth is good for the economy. Indeed, except perhaps at the very highest income levels, it provides a much more direct stimulus than cuts in indirect taxes such as VAT. Time for our union to grow a spine and stand up for the members. As another thought, I understand GATCO offer the insurance cover that the union was offering - which incidentally was the main reason I joined. Seeing as our union doesn't appear to represent the feelings of its members, I feel I'm paying them £15 a month for a pretty magazine which isn't that exciting at the best of times, and the main reason behind my joining can be found somewhere else. Am I right in my last assumption or does the legal assistance package, in case of a "whoopsie", offered by GATCO differ to the one offered by Prospect? |
Anotherthing
Here you go give him hell garry.graham@prospect.org.uk PlusGarry Graham: 020 7902 6616 (w); 07713 511703 (m) All of which can be found on the tinternet ok mods!!!!:ok: |
I know the Union can do certain things unilaterally, in the best interests of the membership, however is postponing talks in our best interest? LTP |
...the problem with hanging around for the accounts is that the snakes that are in charge of the books can more or less fiddle them to their own end.
...Enron anybody? |
Band4all
Thanks for that - I couldn't find it for some reason. Won't necessarily 'give him hell'. but will ask under what authority he has said we have postponed talks... and if he really thinks it is in the members best interests |
You're welcome mate.
I do however agree with TALOWAYs post earlier. I have met him on several occasions:( |
Mr. Graham also needs to remember (whatever his apparent/alleged distaste for the levels of ATCO pay) that it's not just ATCOs pay being negotiated.. Prospect engineers and PCS are also postponed assuming there are joint negotiations this time.. I have not heard anything to the contrary.
Edited to fend off the grammar police |
Where did Mr Graham come from?
I believe his predecessor, (David Luxton), simply 'crawled out of the woodwork'. |
I do however agree with TALOWAYs post earlier. I have met him on several occasions |
Sorry Tallers, I meant I have met GG on several occs:ok:
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Looks like Mister Graham will be getting a fuller than usual inbox this week. It's about bloody time someone gave us PAYING members some answers rather than doing what the hell they like and not having the courtesy of using the union notice board at work.
If he/they wont communicate with us then we can go knock on his door and drag something out of him. I think he and Prospect should do some pay briefings without management as we are now post pension and getting the royal shafting over pay, im sure there will be some very poised questions for him to answer to which most will not take the fob off he gave us during pensions as an answer!!! So come on prospect, get your balls out of uncle Pauls pickle jar and come meet your PAYING mambers face to face. Adding to that, I will also be emailing him this week. :ok: |
In actual fact, the union DOES represent the workforce quite accurately in a way, since WE ALL had a chance to express our opinion in the pension ballot, and it turned out that the majority of the workforce agreed with the management proposal !!!
A tree that falls makes a lot more noise than 100 trees growing, and equally, a bunch of disgruntled barking ATCOs moaning on pprune makes more noise than a lot more colleagues picking up high salaries and AVAs silently and accepting what sh!t gets thrown at them for the "greater good" of a cushy life. But making a lot of noise doesn't mean being the majority. |
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