This could be a great time for employees to be allowed to increase their holdings in the company, particularly if any of the airline group want to sell.

That's been on the wish list for years but never seems to happen.

Found this thread by accident. It’s been a while since I left but I keep in touch and some things haven’t changed or have got much worse.
atce101, I’m guessing you have not been to an operational unit other than maybe Swanwick for some time? If you had you would have very different opinions and views.

There certainly was under a previous regime. Just because you and I don't see one now doesn't mean it hasn't persisted in places, some of those who prospered in that regime still hold influential positions in parts of the organisation.

I wouldn't disagree with the first bit of your statement, NATS is a regulated monopoly so of course it shouldn't, but please don't blame the EU even though it has become fashionable to do so at the moment. There are two parts to charging, the Unit Rate mechanism, and the setting of that Unit Rate. True the Unit Rate mechanism is a Eurocontrol thing and it doesn't necessary reflect the actual cost of providing a complex service but any mechanism that did would be a nightmare to administer and you would lose all the benefits of using the Eurocontrol Route Charges Office if you wanted to use it. I also didn't see NATS complaining too much about that mechanism when all those 747 and A380 overflights were ringing up the tills. The NATS unit rate is set in the UK by the CAA with the UK Competitions and Market Authority as arbitrator so NATS income in normal circumstances is set by the UK not the EU although the EU liked the UK approach so much they are now forcing it on all the other states.

I have no idea what line the Government appointed Non-Executive Directors take on Dividends but please don't assume they aren't the ones pushing for Dividends to be paid when profits are made. Although it's currently throwing money at all and sundry that isn't the Treasury's natural state and in normal times it likes to take money in wherever possible. Most people don't seem to realise that prior to PPP NATS was required to make a certain percentage return each year that went straight to the Government so why would you expect the situation as shareholder rather than owner to be any different.

As an employee, about the last thing you'd want to do is invest in the company you work for.

Not only is that that a bundling of risks (so when the holes in the cheese line up, you're both out of a job and your stock has gone down - or even to zero) - it's also disadvantageous from the perspective of reducing your ability to trade (because you cannot trade on inside information, and are likely to have blackout periods where you can't sell the stock you own).

Arguably the above doesn't apply to those in control of the company, but that's a handful of people.

Quite.

It was most definitely a mitigating factor in jumping ship while I could. Encountered it in two separate areas of the business and it wasn’t very pleasant. Reported it on the first occasion and it was swept under the carpet until others decided to speak up. It’s there alright and I’m surprised, after 10 years, ATCE101 is still enjoying the honeymoon period ?

The problem here is that with all the contractors laid off and Projects having taken a hit, these new systems are not going to be introduced particularly quickly. Are people really going to hang about or will they take the option of redundancy / retirement earlier than expected?

I think the decision is now out of their hands as ( previously stated ) the long standing T&C’s agreement walks out of the door in 8 months. No doubt preceded by 100’s of long serving staff, who have nothing to incentivise them to remain. Sad really, never thought I’d see the job disintegrate in this fashion. Ironically, Bletchley Park is very close to administration.

I’ve been back 2 weeks and we are operating at the capacity of a night shift (without the sleep). My ATSA colleagues are adamant all is well because we were told operational staff were safe, but seeing it and doing it first hand my opinion is no way can it continue for long.

So that’s the trainee problem sorted for the foreseeable future.

Who’s next to be sacrificed to save the company?

Well it won't be any of the many many pointless middle managers

One of my sons friends, who is nearly at the end of training, has just been let go. Very sad.