Industrial action!
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Back to topic.
easyJet is doing good. Of course the airline is affected by the financial climate, but not at all in trouble. This is very imoirtant to remember. The AMB is using the economic climate to try and change the T&Cs for the pilots with help of threats and horror stories of how bad its affecting the airline. Once again, thats just the managament trying to use the market against us, whilst it is not correct in that sence.
easyJet does not want to upgrade their own FOs, they want to hire contract pilots instead. This will affect standards and safety. This I can say because looking back at last year with some of the contract pilots eJ had over the summer ( well actually 6 months.........) there were much more G/As and ASRs filed and most often including contract captains name on the paper. Also not to forget, the fuel bill for that, AND the cost! They earn about £700 per day plus travel expenses.
Taking away the tea and coffee is just to have some fun, and showing the pilots that the managment can do what they want. The serious thing is them taking away food and water that the pilots pay for, and summer time with duty days of about 11 hrs and 3 bottles of water only??? In the heat? This is where the airline made a investigation about Health and Safety, and just how important it is to drink minimum one bottle of water per sector. So its pretty clear the maths dont add up here.
Finally, the managment cutting down on things is fine, as long its negotiated and agreed upon. But when its not negotiated at all, and the managment giving themselves a payrise AND bonuses, well then they are asking for trouble.
And I hope to God BALPA will give them hell for this, because its not acceptable at all. The managment has proven to be very unreliable, and for the pilots means that them being loyal went out the window. The managment shot themselves in the feet really really bad this time.
This fight I hope gives all of us some extra guts to stand up towards airline management that are screwing around with pilot colleagues. Ok, time are bad, but using that to cut down on our living quality for own bonuses that is illegal and shall be punished!
easyJet is doing good. Of course the airline is affected by the financial climate, but not at all in trouble. This is very imoirtant to remember. The AMB is using the economic climate to try and change the T&Cs for the pilots with help of threats and horror stories of how bad its affecting the airline. Once again, thats just the managament trying to use the market against us, whilst it is not correct in that sence.
easyJet does not want to upgrade their own FOs, they want to hire contract pilots instead. This will affect standards and safety. This I can say because looking back at last year with some of the contract pilots eJ had over the summer ( well actually 6 months.........) there were much more G/As and ASRs filed and most often including contract captains name on the paper. Also not to forget, the fuel bill for that, AND the cost! They earn about £700 per day plus travel expenses.
Taking away the tea and coffee is just to have some fun, and showing the pilots that the managment can do what they want. The serious thing is them taking away food and water that the pilots pay for, and summer time with duty days of about 11 hrs and 3 bottles of water only??? In the heat? This is where the airline made a investigation about Health and Safety, and just how important it is to drink minimum one bottle of water per sector. So its pretty clear the maths dont add up here.
Finally, the managment cutting down on things is fine, as long its negotiated and agreed upon. But when its not negotiated at all, and the managment giving themselves a payrise AND bonuses, well then they are asking for trouble.
And I hope to God BALPA will give them hell for this, because its not acceptable at all. The managment has proven to be very unreliable, and for the pilots means that them being loyal went out the window. The managment shot themselves in the feet really really bad this time.
This fight I hope gives all of us some extra guts to stand up towards airline management that are screwing around with pilot colleagues. Ok, time are bad, but using that to cut down on our living quality for own bonuses that is illegal and shall be punished!
Vikings post sums the situation up very well indeed.
I recall a Futura sub from LPL-BFS a few years back trying to land in the disused airfield west of BFS, fortunately going around when ATC didnt see the aircraft as it called 'finals' and warned them (despite notes on chart, warnings on ATIS, DME etc). The subsequent approach into the real BFS was so unstable that the on board Training Captain telephoned Ops and insisted the crew did not fly again.
The aircraft positioned back empty to LPL!
I'm sure there are many other horror stories of third party **** ups. It is so frustrating that we have/did have the spare training capacity to upgrade our own FO's, having agreed to the PPY75 etc, and yet all along the hidden agenda of the management was to get the contract captains in.
One presumes that the CC of Thomas Cook has had a similar battle with their management and I am sure Nick has been able to benefit from their battle.
I remember my divorce some years ago. All very amicable until the ex started hiding stuff and her hidden agenda became apparant. Then the gloves came off and it was hard rules!!
Seems a little deja vu!
I recall a Futura sub from LPL-BFS a few years back trying to land in the disused airfield west of BFS, fortunately going around when ATC didnt see the aircraft as it called 'finals' and warned them (despite notes on chart, warnings on ATIS, DME etc). The subsequent approach into the real BFS was so unstable that the on board Training Captain telephoned Ops and insisted the crew did not fly again.
The aircraft positioned back empty to LPL!
I'm sure there are many other horror stories of third party **** ups. It is so frustrating that we have/did have the spare training capacity to upgrade our own FO's, having agreed to the PPY75 etc, and yet all along the hidden agenda of the management was to get the contract captains in.
One presumes that the CC of Thomas Cook has had a similar battle with their management and I am sure Nick has been able to benefit from their battle.
I remember my divorce some years ago. All very amicable until the ex started hiding stuff and her hidden agenda became apparant. Then the gloves came off and it was hard rules!!
Seems a little deja vu!
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EZY will not go on strike for the same reasons that RYR never went on strike. Many pilots at many different bases, on different contracts, some paid in euros, some in sterling, some getting loads, flying and money, some getting little, some FOs just promoted, some waiting, some don't give a ****, some already did.
Striking over a crap meal is not the question. The idiots who voted for it back in the day when you had a chance to opt for feeding yourself, post GO takeover, lost you that chance at looking after NO 1 and not consigning anything needful to management.
These same idiots voted for a bonus/share scheme which gave them a one off payment in 2003 and has paid little or nothing since.
The FOs waiting to be shafted by their new promotion/75% deal will not strike because if they do, they are off the list!
Strikes are so Arthur Scargill; get real and be happy to be in the great throng of shat on plebs who drive aeroplanes for a living.
Join your also shat on buddies at RYR and try to do something constructive TOGETHER, instead of continually shooting caustic and silly barbs at each other ad nauseam.
Striking over a crap meal is not the question. The idiots who voted for it back in the day when you had a chance to opt for feeding yourself, post GO takeover, lost you that chance at looking after NO 1 and not consigning anything needful to management.
These same idiots voted for a bonus/share scheme which gave them a one off payment in 2003 and has paid little or nothing since.
The FOs waiting to be shafted by their new promotion/75% deal will not strike because if they do, they are off the list!
Strikes are so Arthur Scargill; get real and be happy to be in the great throng of shat on plebs who drive aeroplanes for a living.
Join your also shat on buddies at RYR and try to do something constructive TOGETHER, instead of continually shooting caustic and silly barbs at each other ad nauseam.
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One can always rationalize oneself out of action. Blaming those that have gone before is a great old chestnut. Management never announce on a Monday Lads and Lassies as of Tuesday half pay and no leave, it is the constant whittle that will get you.
You may decide now is not the time and many would agree but get a plan construct a strategy and don't let those who have been broken or lack drive or are plain lazy distract you from your end game. Rubiks last point sums it all up.
You may decide now is not the time and many would agree but get a plan construct a strategy and don't let those who have been broken or lack drive or are plain lazy distract you from your end game. Rubiks last point sums it all up.
Rubik,
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Re food: it was discussed to death at the time, the options were explored and in the end I believe even the CAA had an input into it. We voted and the majority won. Would we of voted the same if we knew then what we know now? Probably not.
Bonus/share scheme. What was that? I dont recall us having such an option. What BALPA have done is got the profit clause taken out of our annual loyalty bonus payment - now that could be worth a LOT of money!
PPY75 - yeah, it sucks but better than getting in even more contract captains. I suspect tho that when it is released to the general pilot population, it will be well oversubscribed!
Strike? No, I dont think it will happen. Work to rule, as others have mentioned, yes I hope it will! With all the FLIDRAS/ACARS data available they will very quickly see that the bottom line is being hurt. THAT will make Cor Blimey and his merry men sit up and hey, WE might even manage a vote of no confidence in him!! Twice in his career, now that would be something!!!
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Re food: it was discussed to death at the time, the options were explored and in the end I believe even the CAA had an input into it. We voted and the majority won. Would we of voted the same if we knew then what we know now? Probably not.
Bonus/share scheme. What was that? I dont recall us having such an option. What BALPA have done is got the profit clause taken out of our annual loyalty bonus payment - now that could be worth a LOT of money!
PPY75 - yeah, it sucks but better than getting in even more contract captains. I suspect tho that when it is released to the general pilot population, it will be well oversubscribed!
Strike? No, I dont think it will happen. Work to rule, as others have mentioned, yes I hope it will! With all the FLIDRAS/ACARS data available they will very quickly see that the bottom line is being hurt. THAT will make Cor Blimey and his merry men sit up and hey, WE might even manage a vote of no confidence in him!! Twice in his career, now that would be something!!!
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Hi guys,
I'm sorry but we NEED to be prepared to do anything to stop them. If we need to stop the fleet we have to!
Honestly I'm a bit tired of this british way.. (no offence) always trying to find an excuse not to take responsability and say enough is enough.
What they are doing is illegal and need to be stopped. I'm a professional pilot and I want to be respected so please stop to bleame te previous pilots and bla bla bla...and do something!
thanks
zz
I'm sorry but we NEED to be prepared to do anything to stop them. If we need to stop the fleet we have to!
Honestly I'm a bit tired of this british way.. (no offence) always trying to find an excuse not to take responsability and say enough is enough.
What they are doing is illegal and need to be stopped. I'm a professional pilot and I want to be respected so please stop to bleame te previous pilots and bla bla bla...and do something!
thanks
zz
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Great to see Leo Hairy-Camel out and about. He is without doubt the most consistent pilot in the industry - he is consistently wrong about every issue affecting professional aviators.
Regarding easyJet, this is a BIG deal. My gut feeling is that people will whine about the crew food but get on with it. Contract captains are a different matter and if the issue is not resolved (ie real live contract captains are employed at easyJet over the summer), there will be a strike. I have not yet met a single pilot at easyJet who does not regard this as a striking matter. Incidentally, until recently BALPA membership at easyJet was in the low 70 percent area. It is now rocketing up as people wake up and smell the coffee.
Also, at SEP days, a senior manager (CEO/Director level) usually comes to give the business chat at the end of the day to anyone who wants to hang around and hear it. It is always much-appreciated by the crews as it is the only real chance the worker bees get to meet the top people. At last week's SEP day, no manager could be found talk to the troops - very odd! As another little aside, Cor Vrieswijk, our Flight Operations Director and the most invisible man at easyJet, is actually coming to Gatwick on Friday to discuss the issues of concern with the crews. Bearing in mind that no one outside of Luton could recognise him if they saw him, this is an indication of the alarm felt by our managers at what is unfolding. They are absolutely right to be alarmed as they are about to save a few quid by employing contract captains and lose millions on a damaging strike in the middle of the summer season. It makes you wonder if Andy Harrison our CEO and Jeff Carr our Financial Director are really worth their recent pay rises (10% and 20% respectively) - nice work if you can get it.
Regarding easyJet, this is a BIG deal. My gut feeling is that people will whine about the crew food but get on with it. Contract captains are a different matter and if the issue is not resolved (ie real live contract captains are employed at easyJet over the summer), there will be a strike. I have not yet met a single pilot at easyJet who does not regard this as a striking matter. Incidentally, until recently BALPA membership at easyJet was in the low 70 percent area. It is now rocketing up as people wake up and smell the coffee.
Also, at SEP days, a senior manager (CEO/Director level) usually comes to give the business chat at the end of the day to anyone who wants to hang around and hear it. It is always much-appreciated by the crews as it is the only real chance the worker bees get to meet the top people. At last week's SEP day, no manager could be found talk to the troops - very odd! As another little aside, Cor Vrieswijk, our Flight Operations Director and the most invisible man at easyJet, is actually coming to Gatwick on Friday to discuss the issues of concern with the crews. Bearing in mind that no one outside of Luton could recognise him if they saw him, this is an indication of the alarm felt by our managers at what is unfolding. They are absolutely right to be alarmed as they are about to save a few quid by employing contract captains and lose millions on a damaging strike in the middle of the summer season. It makes you wonder if Andy Harrison our CEO and Jeff Carr our Financial Director are really worth their recent pay rises (10% and 20% respectively) - nice work if you can get it.
Leo is a very articulate and amusing correspondent who writes with a verve that the real MOL would not be able to achieve.I am sure his posts are designed to be provocative and in this aim he succeeds very well;however,although his central topic is normally Ryanair there are evidently parallels with orangeworld.
I worked for easy for six years and in the main,it was not a pleasant experience.The pilots are marginalised to the point of working in a parallel universe with minimal contact with the rest of the airline.The business focus was always profit and share price;flight safety and technical competence was brushed to the side and left to the 'chaps down the road'.The pilot share option schemes were 'crumbs from the table' subject to full 40% tax;the directors/senior managers were on the 'approved scheme' -strangely enough no tax due to the local horse trading with HMRC -I think you get the picture.The core business plan was and probably still is driven by greed -the now so very fashionable deadly sin demonstrated by the bankers and elected politicians.
As Leo says it is probably not a brilliant plan to go on strike in the current economic atmosphere.To get to the point:food was unambiguously paid for by the pilots in negotiated settlement some years back;I know the ex cc chairman still works for easy and would I am sure point you in the right direction.Our negotiated settlement of the time included a percentage pay increase minus a sum deducted for the privilege of having execrable crew food.This did not include the cabin staff but I believe it was felt that this would hardly be fair due to their paltry income.
I think the easy pilot community need robust leadership from Balpa coupled with a united pilot workforce.A good starting point would be to publically highlight the avarice and hypocrisy of the directors/managers.A recurring theme in the modern British business/political landscape.
All the best to current easy pilots
I worked for easy for six years and in the main,it was not a pleasant experience.The pilots are marginalised to the point of working in a parallel universe with minimal contact with the rest of the airline.The business focus was always profit and share price;flight safety and technical competence was brushed to the side and left to the 'chaps down the road'.The pilot share option schemes were 'crumbs from the table' subject to full 40% tax;the directors/senior managers were on the 'approved scheme' -strangely enough no tax due to the local horse trading with HMRC -I think you get the picture.The core business plan was and probably still is driven by greed -the now so very fashionable deadly sin demonstrated by the bankers and elected politicians.
As Leo says it is probably not a brilliant plan to go on strike in the current economic atmosphere.To get to the point:food was unambiguously paid for by the pilots in negotiated settlement some years back;I know the ex cc chairman still works for easy and would I am sure point you in the right direction.Our negotiated settlement of the time included a percentage pay increase minus a sum deducted for the privilege of having execrable crew food.This did not include the cabin staff but I believe it was felt that this would hardly be fair due to their paltry income.
I think the easy pilot community need robust leadership from Balpa coupled with a united pilot workforce.A good starting point would be to publically highlight the avarice and hypocrisy of the directors/managers.A recurring theme in the modern British business/political landscape.
All the best to current easy pilots
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He, she, somewhere in between. . . . IT was full of sh1t & won't be missed.
Too much space wasted already responding to ITS inane posts.
Wonder who the Easy training Capt with a tranny for a girlfriend is
Too much space wasted already responding to ITS inane posts.
Wonder who the Easy training Capt with a tranny for a girlfriend is
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Instead of messing about with half hearted rhetoric with the company, I hope that BALPA simply takes the company to court for contractual breaches. While they're about it enter discussions with the CAA and the H and S executive, I suspect both would have something to say about being stuck in a cockpit for 10 hours without a ready supply of refreshment. Water is a basic human right included in the Geneva convention. I for one will not have my profession degraded any further by these greedy people. The plane stops when we run out of water.
