Morale
Join Date: Mar 2001
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I left the RAF in March 2010 at my KOS point (55) and it already seems to bear little relation to the RAF I knew in 2009 let alone 1986. I guess I am fortunate (at the moment but don't know how long for) to be able to continue to work at an RAF unit as a civvy lecturer. The feeling of low morale amongst some of my RAF compadres is tangible. It mainly takes the form of "what's going to smack us next?!"
Join Date: Jul 2000
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we're all in this together
It's not all bad news folks. See Robert Peston's Blog for the BBC today:
Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed that its chief executive, Stephen Hester, will receive a "new Share Bank scheme" award (RBS's name for a bonus) of £2.04m for his performance in 2010. It will be paid in shares, and he won't be able to get his hand on all of it for three years.
It means that Hester will receive a fraction of the sum likely to be awarded to his opposite number at Barclays, Bob Diamond (with some of the difference in their respective pay explained by the fact that RBS is more than 80% owned by taxpayers).
RBS also confirms that its investment bankers - employed by its GBM division - will share in bonuses totalling "less than £950m for 2010." That compares with the 2009 bonus pool of £1.3bn. A proportion of that drop in bonuses stems from the fact that GBM had a better year in 2009: not all of the fall represents pay restraint imposed by the board of RBS as a result of the Merlin talks.
Somewhat ironic that they have called such daylight robbery 'Project Merlin'. Too late, very costly and unfit for purpose.......
Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed that its chief executive, Stephen Hester, will receive a "new Share Bank scheme" award (RBS's name for a bonus) of £2.04m for his performance in 2010. It will be paid in shares, and he won't be able to get his hand on all of it for three years.
It means that Hester will receive a fraction of the sum likely to be awarded to his opposite number at Barclays, Bob Diamond (with some of the difference in their respective pay explained by the fact that RBS is more than 80% owned by taxpayers).
RBS also confirms that its investment bankers - employed by its GBM division - will share in bonuses totalling "less than £950m for 2010." That compares with the 2009 bonus pool of £1.3bn. A proportion of that drop in bonuses stems from the fact that GBM had a better year in 2009: not all of the fall represents pay restraint imposed by the board of RBS as a result of the Merlin talks.
Somewhat ironic that they have called such daylight robbery 'Project Merlin'. Too late, very costly and unfit for purpose.......
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: UK
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For a very large percentage, its not a "way of life" any more, its a job. People come to work, do their work, and go home. Mess functions are cancelled due to lack of interest; Beer Calls are attended by a handful of people, half of whom leave after one beer having put in "face time"; secondary duties remain unfilled; clubs & societies closing due to lack of support.
I dont think there's a great deal that can be done about turning it round. There have been too many false dawns; too many rousing speeches by too many commanders - all of whom have failed to deliver.
I have 5 yrs left on my contract and if I dont get redundancy, then I will probably see my 5 yrs out as one of the people I referred to above. My love affair with my employer is dead after a slow, lingering illness.
I dont think there's a great deal that can be done about turning it round. There have been too many false dawns; too many rousing speeches by too many commanders - all of whom have failed to deliver.
I have 5 yrs left on my contract and if I dont get redundancy, then I will probably see my 5 yrs out as one of the people I referred to above. My love affair with my employer is dead after a slow, lingering illness.
Join Date: Jul 2000
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Is this my chance?
OK morale is low, everyone is doing the bare minimum, and no-one is taking on secondary duties - so if I turn up every day bright as a button, work hard, stay late and do all those vacant secondary duties (won't need to fight for the juicy ones - I'll have my pick), then that should clearly elevate me above my peers come appraisal time and I'm on the fast track to promotion!
Perhaps this could be seen as an opportunity?!
Perhaps this could be seen as an opportunity?!
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: inside the train looking onto the platform.
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d'ya think
Promotion by attrition.............there has to be some promotion to be had, in th next two or three years do you really think you are that good or that they are that bad. If you are - well done, if not you will be working harder than the rest fr nothing and sacrificing your family time.
We'll see...........keep us posted!
We'll see...........keep us posted!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I have been telling people for many years that they work for only 3 people - themsleves, their wife (and children) and their boss. It is rare for hard work for someone outside their CoC to be reflected in their annual reports.
As endex approaches that list reduces by one.
Almost 40 years ago I watched spellbound and dumbstruck as sqn ldr ops worked into his terminal leave because his station was about to endure its first taceval. Of course it was sheer pride in job and the desire to ensure that he was remembered for the success of the taceval and not his failure as sqn ldr ops. Who remembers him today? I do. It was Witteringter in 1973 or 74. Would many do that today?
As endex approaches that list reduces by one.
Almost 40 years ago I watched spellbound and dumbstruck as sqn ldr ops worked into his terminal leave because his station was about to endure its first taceval. Of course it was sheer pride in job and the desire to ensure that he was remembered for the success of the taceval and not his failure as sqn ldr ops. Who remembers him today? I do. It was Witteringter in 1973 or 74. Would many do that today?
Join Date: Sep 2009
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I am just sad it has come to this now, I joined up at a time when it was magic. The great memories and times , every day going into work made you smile, right now I cannot remember anytime in the last 5 years where I had that smile and feel good.
Whatever has happened I very doubt we will have that back, the fact you enjoyed your job you would work late and get the jets ready for next day, it was team work. Right now that has all gone , the goodwill has left the building and people are just counting the clock now.
Such a waste that could easily have been prevented
Whatever has happened I very doubt we will have that back, the fact you enjoyed your job you would work late and get the jets ready for next day, it was team work. Right now that has all gone , the goodwill has left the building and people are just counting the clock now.
Such a waste that could easily have been prevented
"Question is, how do they turn the tap of service leavers off? With so many seeing that we are no longer an employer that cares for its people, people wont stay, even with large cash bung FRIs."
Not serving since 1999 but read this with interest. A few pointers.
If the "Good Guys" go and the remaining disenchanted stop doing the secondary stuff and volunteering for the nasty little task that go on - the knobbers who sit in Baths full of Beans will, quite soon, replace the good guys!
This is the BEST TIME to get your desired qualifications up and running - DO THAT NOW. Dont wait until you've been accepted or rejected - you can carry on under your own steam. Make your decisions now and do something about it - You can always stay in if you want to, but you can then get more qualifications.
EDUCATION ALLOWANCES - abuse them or lose them!
and finally...
DON'T GET MAD, GET EVEN.
Not serving since 1999 but read this with interest. A few pointers.
If the "Good Guys" go and the remaining disenchanted stop doing the secondary stuff and volunteering for the nasty little task that go on - the knobbers who sit in Baths full of Beans will, quite soon, replace the good guys!
This is the BEST TIME to get your desired qualifications up and running - DO THAT NOW. Dont wait until you've been accepted or rejected - you can carry on under your own steam. Make your decisions now and do something about it - You can always stay in if you want to, but you can then get more qualifications.
EDUCATION ALLOWANCES - abuse them or lose them!
and finally...
DON'T GET MAD, GET EVEN.
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I have read this thread with interest and would like to add something that may be of help
The term "the grass is always greener on the other side of the hill" comes to mind
If you want to be unemployed, especially in the engineering dept then go ahead, the Civilian side of things at the moment is Dire.......... no, I would re categorise that as worse than Dire..
I am a fully qualified ex RAF Multi Licenced Engineer and I have a job, BUT a lot of engineers I know have none, no prospect of getting one and are struggling. Contracting wise I have friends that I would if being honest judging by their work and work ethic along with the quality of the said work, rank in the top 10% of contractors, these are the guys everyone want, and he has suffered months of unemployment in the last year. One I know sold his car, dropped behind with his mortgage but has managed to recover that situation. My sisters lad has finished college and has all the modules for his licences in place, he would even work for nothing if he could to get the experience period required to ratify his licences, and he has tried for a year to find a placement to no avail. At the end of the day a licence puts you in a stronger position employment wise, but how many of you have that? and then you will be competing with a plethora of fully qualified and type rated engineers from major airlines that are unemployed and seeking work.
The UK civil scene, from an engineering point of view is dead, lots of airlines are simply shifting their maintainance oversees to agencies that can do the job cheaper, Malta, Latvia etc and I have even known of aircraft going from the UK to the Phillipines for their checks.. look at the likes of Air Italia, a lot of their aircraft are shifting to the Irish register to they can get maintained to the US system in Ireland I believe.
So no matter how bad moral is.......... think of the cheque at the end of the month and if it is guarranteed or not and the family, lifestyle you need to maintain..........
Just my ten penneth, but I felt it needed to be said.
The term "the grass is always greener on the other side of the hill" comes to mind
If you want to be unemployed, especially in the engineering dept then go ahead, the Civilian side of things at the moment is Dire.......... no, I would re categorise that as worse than Dire..
I am a fully qualified ex RAF Multi Licenced Engineer and I have a job, BUT a lot of engineers I know have none, no prospect of getting one and are struggling. Contracting wise I have friends that I would if being honest judging by their work and work ethic along with the quality of the said work, rank in the top 10% of contractors, these are the guys everyone want, and he has suffered months of unemployment in the last year. One I know sold his car, dropped behind with his mortgage but has managed to recover that situation. My sisters lad has finished college and has all the modules for his licences in place, he would even work for nothing if he could to get the experience period required to ratify his licences, and he has tried for a year to find a placement to no avail. At the end of the day a licence puts you in a stronger position employment wise, but how many of you have that? and then you will be competing with a plethora of fully qualified and type rated engineers from major airlines that are unemployed and seeking work.
The UK civil scene, from an engineering point of view is dead, lots of airlines are simply shifting their maintainance oversees to agencies that can do the job cheaper, Malta, Latvia etc and I have even known of aircraft going from the UK to the Phillipines for their checks.. look at the likes of Air Italia, a lot of their aircraft are shifting to the Irish register to they can get maintained to the US system in Ireland I believe.
So no matter how bad moral is.......... think of the cheque at the end of the month and if it is guarranteed or not and the family, lifestyle you need to maintain..........
Just my ten penneth, but I felt it needed to be said.
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Really Annoyed must obviousley work in PSF where the posting around the globe and the high pay band have got too much for ones head.
Nutloose I shall say from an Engineering point of view most people are fed up working in the aviation industry , its the other jobs that are around right now that pay 3 times what the RAF gives you with a chance to have a life. And If you are an engineer the future is very good. I just hope it works our for everyone , the RAF are making promises I just dont think they can keep.
Nutloose I shall say from an Engineering point of view most people are fed up working in the aviation industry , its the other jobs that are around right now that pay 3 times what the RAF gives you with a chance to have a life. And If you are an engineer the future is very good. I just hope it works our for everyone , the RAF are making promises I just dont think they can keep.
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Nutloose I shall say from an Engineering point of view most people are fed up working in the aviation industry , its the other jobs that are around right now that pay 3 times what the RAF gives you with a chance to have a life. And If you are an engineer the future is very good. I just hope it works our for everyone , the RAF are making promises I just dont think they can keep.
most people are fed up working in the aviation industry
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I was in the UK over Christmas and stunned to see my old friend UK plc fall on such hard times. Not materially you understand, but in the loss of personal pride and motivation in almost all sectors of British society. Frankly, these things are hard to acquire and incredibly easy to lose. And once lost they rarely return.
Bad luck chaps. Your decline will be long, lingering and painful. But you've had your day. Now it's our turn.
Oh and don't get upset at 'Really Annoyed'. He started off nicely on pprune with his ironic humour and now he's simply bitter. Rather like your nation methinks...
Bad luck chaps. Your decline will be long, lingering and painful. But you've had your day. Now it's our turn.
Oh and don't get upset at 'Really Annoyed'. He started off nicely on pprune with his ironic humour and now he's simply bitter. Rather like your nation methinks...
Join Date: Jul 2002
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We may have Commanders but we don't seem to have Leaders. With regard to "If you don't like it get out", many people have or are going to soon and SFAIK PVRs are not immediate but I am sure there are plenty in the pipeline. There may be very little need for compulsory redundancies
Join Date: Oct 2007
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I dont think Really Annoyed works in PSF. He sound more like those to$$ers at HQ Air who fill non-jobs, whilst spending half their day with their tongue up their Bosses' backside, and the other half career laughing, putting in face time and generally being an odious creep so that one day they can have a tongue up their backside.
Staff Officers, I think they are called.
Staff Officers, I think they are called.
