Can someone please explain what has happened to NSF ? Is he ok. Not read this thread for ages. Have I missed something ? Great post from him

He decided that he had posted enough.

I understand that at a recent dinner with Training Captains and Senior Management (Chairman, CEO, DFO etc) there was significant discussion about flexicrew. I also understand the a number of the Training Captains were overtly supportive of the cadets and their difficulties. What the company really want is 'flexibility' as opposed to 'flexicrew'. What that boils down to is a range of permanent contracts, some of which will offer no fixed-pattern roster. Worse fates to befall you, particularly as there will be opportunities to escape onto better contracts as you as advance up the greasy pole. Standby for the revelations from Project Merlin.

The Training Captains were extremely supportive and vocal on behalf of the flexicrew cadets. I understand it was a very good atmosphere where you could say whatever you wanted. There seemed to be no doubt in anyone's mind that the whole flexicrew issue has become a real distraction. Although the results of Project Merlin are not guaranteed, it seems very likely that we will have significant movement on that front next year

Hi Alexander,

can you explain to me what does Project Merlin mean?

I am not sure to have understood everything correctly...

Funny how it's always next year..!

Very true.

Hi aviator3200. 'Project Merlin' is the internal project within easyJet to increase 'pilot engagement'. Essentially, when the then new CEO, Carolyn McCall, arrived at easyJet last summer she pretty quickly realised that the relationships between pilots and management were at an all time low. Having put out the initial fires, she met with the Chairman of BALPA (the UK pilots' union) and issued a joint declaration that a new day was upon us and the management and pilots would work together to repair the damage of the past and work for the good of the company and of the pilots simultaneously. The practical outworking of that was a very late (about 8 months after it should have been) retrospective pay deal and the start of a massive consultative process called 'Project Merlin'.

The project is limited at this stage to UK-based pilots, but assuming some sort of deal is reached then it will also work its way out to the mainland European bases too. As you can imagine, there are all sorts of local contract issues that make the whole situation very complex. The sort of stuff that is up for grabs includes rostering, pay, allowances, leave guarantees, part-time etc. For example, we have numerous roster protocols and restrictions right now the company want rid of. In return they are looking at providing a wide variety of roster patterns such as 5/4/5/4 or 4/4/4/4 with 'draft' potential. Pilots at BA will be familiar with the 'draft' whereby you can compulsorily be given a draft notice in the car park telling you that you are on your way to Narita or whatever, regardless of what other plans you had. At BA, they help you overcome your disappointment by hosing you down with money (I believe that in the past a 747 Captain might get around £4k for a compulsory draft trip - I do not imagine we would be so fortunate!). There are all sorts of discussions about transitions from earlies to lates within those roster patterns. There are also questions of flexicrew contracts becoming permanent which must form part of the agreement - for example, 59% of current FOs at Gatwick have temporary contracts. Other discussion items would be leave guarantees during the summer, salary sacrifices for better roster deals, part-time availability and so forth. It is a real minefield and is being run by the Head of Flight Operations (No 2 to the Group Ops Director, who is a certain ex-Ryanair employee with a reputation few would wish to emulate). As you might imagine, this is a real horse-trading exercise whereby the Union and management slog it out to get the most 'flexibility' versus most advantageous terms and conditions. Like all these things, it will not be perfect but I do expect it to be overall positive. I do not harbour unrealistic expectations that I am about to be offered more time off for more money - that is simply not going to be on offer. Nor am I of the negative mindset of some on here who believe it is all a management ploy to play for time and then stuff us. The truth lies somewhere in the middle whereby a more flexible and open relationship between pilots and management is being generated that allows for all sorts of options which, the greater good, all of us can buy into. I hope that makes sense.

EZY
 

Passed the selection!

Start early 2012. So happy as my current contract was coming to an end.

Cheers

Flexman is that a permanant contract or a flexi contract? I was led to believe that there'd be no movement until project merlin was complete.

Anyone else know if this recruitment through Parc is as well as permanent contracts with easy. Or instead of permanent contracts with easy?

Thanks

How is the deal in general to work as flex crew for easyjet?

Flexicrew is hard work with no guarantee of income each month. It is stressful. However, it serves as the current easiest way to secure a long term future at the company.

:eek::eek:

What a compromise the whole :mad: offering is.

There's another thread running called "where did it all go wrong?", this kind of contract is one of the core reasons.

easyJet is a joke of an "employer" unless you've been in for 3+ years, in which case its "I'm alright Jack".

Ok guys, now, getting back to the point, we've said that there will be a chance for pilots "staying in the middle" (I mean, brand new-CPL pilots).
But when do you think the recruitment process will start for us? Because if I don't go wrong, the MPL program is not for us but for cadets.

Narrow Runway - you have answered your doubts with your own reply. The terms are poor for the first two or three years, and I do not wish to defend that. What I can say, however, is that after that period everyone is on a permanent contract earning good money in a company that is as about as secure as you get in the airline industry. If that is a rubbish deal to you then so be it - most people would think otherwise. Every airline in the world brings people in on a starter deal and you work your way up - we are no different. I am not defending the flexicrew system but it is a temporary situation for nearly all pilots. In the end they all get permanent contracts and many choose to stay rather than leave for BA. We must be doing something right - easyJet is not for everyone, but overall it has been a great place for many people.

The question is.. is it possible to make it through the first two or three years without going bankrupt?

Many people on flexicrew have anything between 10 and 20 flying hours rostered in November. This is not even enough to repay the HSBC loan that many have as they started training long before flexicrew was announced. How might they earn enough to pay rent, food, transport etc?

The skew of T+Cs between new joiners and the long established (A de M?) is absolutely vast. Even the old BA SSP scale still gave you a decent salary - and you were paid from day 1 (not 8 months in..).

The attitude of the management has enshrined a culture of resentment in a huge proportion of the workforce. If you don't believe that then you are just being naive.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with that. I was there at the start of flexicrew and worked on it for 18 months or so (on and off). Originally flexicrew was just CTC, of which I knew almost all of the guys that were on the scheme from my training days. I had a period away from easyJet as they didn't need all of us over the winter (so no financial income for that period). The following summer I returned to easyJet, at which time it was opened up to Oxford guys as well. On my course to rejoin Easyjet I was with largely Oxford guys and girls, and have since met others through friends I made on that course.

So in short I know lots of the flexicrew guys, and can count on one hand those that actually want to stay (in fact I can only think of 2 out of probably over a hundred that I know......). It may seem that more 'choose to stay' simply because they have been unfortunate with their applications to move on. But believe me, many will be applying again at the first opportunity, or once they have just a few more hours so that emirates, virgin etc become options........

easyJet are reaping what they sow. And frankly they probably don't care.

Nobody is being naive. We know. Management has been told at the highest level (CEO/Chairman). They will reap what is sown but they calculate that it is worth it. We are BA's training organisation at the moment and the attrition rate is known and planned for.