99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

I think this deserves a new thread. The results of the BALPA ballot were as follows:
Do you accept the company's pay and benefits offer?
Yes 1%
No 99%
If the company's pay and benefits offer is rejected by members are you prepared to take part in:
(i) Strike action
Yes 89%
No 10%
Asstentions 1%
(ii) action short of strike
Yes 82%
No 5%
Abstentions 13%

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

well the figures tell a potentially interesting story, however they can only be seen in their true context set against the BALPA membership in easyjet, vs the number of pilots in easyjet. anyone know that figure?

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

That is a fact, EZY mangement would like to know, too!:D
I think, it is a higher number than some people my even think about!

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

It's a pity that it was confidential as I would love to find out who the 1% was that voted such a derisory and inflammatory pay offer was acceptable! They are clearly not even intelligent enough to fly a plane for a living.

To those people: What else do you have to sell apart from your time and effort, and if you don't rate it highly enough to get paid what you feel you are worth, then more fool you! Thankfully, 99% of your colleagues felt differently and will now get paid more, but you should have a very good look at yourselves and your career.

CK.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

@ Colonel Klink

could only imagine, this person was to knackered from to many earlies, to many RHS operation, to many blockhours, to many sectors, missing vacation, to fill out the right position of the ballot questionaire!

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Colonel Klink, your post seems a bit harsh to me. I'm not working for EZY, just looking at discussion here.

These 1% might be the ones, who have just finished flying school, with high debts and happy to be able to fly a jet.

So please do not blame them for being happy with the job they got, the one they're always dreamed of! (not EZY, but flying a jet) It might not be the best, but at least they are flying... There are enough young folks out there who would be happy to get a job at ANY company they can.

I also understand your thoughts, though.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

You may find that the real reason for the 1% is that they just ticked the wrong box - by far and away the most likely explanation! Slightly more perplexing is the 11% who voted against strike action - if 99% voted against the company's offer, what on earth are they going to do about it other than strike? Now't as queer as folk!

Nevertheless this is a ringing endorsement of the CC's stand and there are strong indications that a revised offer is on its way. This is going to require careful handling by the CC as inevitably it will involve some degree of compromise on both sides. I am not one of those gagging for a fight to the death with management, but I am resigned to a strike if there is no other way. I am personally fully committed to easyJet's continued success and wish to see it become a career airline rather than a transit base enroute to a 'real' job. I hope to stay here for the remainder of my career but we must fight now to obtain the terms and conditions that will make us envy of low cost carriers in Euorpe. It is entirely reasonable to aspire to being part of a top airline where all employees and not just a few enjoy the benefits of our continued success.

My gut feeling is that our new CEO is a shrewd guy who now knows that a strike is imminent if the current impasse continues. He needs stability among the pilot community if he is to concentrate on the numerous other challenges facing the company. I suspect a deal will be forthcoming which will endeavour to split the vote (reduced pay for Europe, espescially Malpensa, but a London weighting of some kind). The CC are going to have their work cut out for them in trying to wade their way through what I expect will be a deliberately complex and convoluted set of proposals. As a new member I am both heartened and impressed by the efforts of the Company Council on our behalf.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

NSF and others, good posts and some fair points made.
When I was CC Chairman, we said then there will be no B scale contracts in easyJet ("Over my dead body" was the phrase used!) All pilot contracts are currently UK based to help easyJet and save them money. We do not want a lesser salary for those based east of Luton, as the company will then try to ensure everyone ends up on this level of pay. New captains will be forced east to take up their commands, then when they return back to the UK, watch how difficult it will be to have their T's and C's restored. A certain manager said they would never do this; in easy speak that means they have not found a way yet....!!!
Just because rumours exist that an improved offer is about to be tabled, does not mean that the problems are about to all magically disappear. From my long experience, easyJet will try to delay and delay and this first offer will probably not be even close. The easyJet style of management is like learning to pull teeth; take the longest time to extract the most pain! Since they have not until now even understood the strength of feeling among the pilots, or worse-did not care, it is unlikely to be solved soon! The airline board,who is as far removed from understanding the pilot market and aviation in general as possible may decline to spend more keeping their pilots on the payroll, so may inadvertently usher in the strike even sooner!!!

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

I agree with most of what has been said here, especially the words of wisdom from NSF who has continually posted accurately on PPRuNE iro easyJet. I have no doubt that the easyJet cc will stand firm in the face of what is likely to be an offer designed to split our ranks and we, the members will continue to give them our full support. There will be no split unless we allow one to happen and it is not going to happen!

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Colonel,

Why then is there a B scale now? And a C and maybe a D scale?

A: Pre March 03: £42k + loyalty bonus for 2.5 years
B: Post March 03: £40k
C: TRSS: £35k
D: CTC wings: ?k

All are SFO rates. Same job, same qualification, same experience.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Well, the headline post may well be correct, or then again may not.

The BALPA company forum is strangely silent on this momentous (non?) news...

I'd have expected to read it there first, so unless there is some official confirmation I suspect this "info" may be yet more orange smoke and mirrors.

We'll see.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

eh?

We've had the email, the pdf is on the website, and the discussion is in the forums....

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

To NSF: the 11% might be because not everybody is prepared to go on strike to get £2000 for the Captains while our dear SFO miss out on £30000 due to DEC. That's an issue which should be addressed or Captains will end up on the RH for more than just 5 rotations a months since most SFO have left/leaving.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

abfgh - First of all, just to clear up any misunderstanding, if you go on strike it will not be solely for the benefit of Captains as FOs will benefit by the same percentage increase. You are absolutely right about the issue of DECs. I was a DEC at a time when there were not the required number of promotable FOs. That is no longer the case and therefore DECs are totally unacceptable.

If I might, however, say something in defense of the CC here. They are fighting several battles on several fronts and can only effectively fight one battle at a time. The problem they face is that, quite rightly in my judgement, they need to keep this separate from the pay deal. I hope that very quickly after a pay agreement is reached we will then be dealing once and for all with this issue. Our policy needs to be very simple - no DECs as long as there is a single promotable FO. There can never again be such a concept as someone out there who is 'too good to turn down'. The only person too good to turn down is a promotable FO.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

NSF - WELL SAID!!! In a company with 1200+ pilots,how can there be ANY pilots (DEC´s) out on the market that is in possession of qualities that we are unable to find in our own lines????

Back to the pay deal...
Is it only me or are there more of you out there who, when reading on the BALPA forum, get the impression that we are aiming "too low" in these negotiations...?? "Too low" meaning that I get the impression that instead of the original 1.3+1.7%(?), we are going to settle with something slightly higher but still WAY short of what we should get....not addressing the issue of a "seniority" based pay scale, something I think ANY decent company should have! The company has argued that "Yes, we have one FO pay (not really true, FO/SFO, but for arguments sake), HOWEVER, you will have a fast upgrade due to our expansion and blablabla..." This may have been fairly true in the past 2-3 years but will not continue forever... Then what???!!!! Are we going to settle with the fact that an FO/SFO will be stuck with the same pay for, lets say, 6-8 years before he/she can get a left seat?? This also applies to captains..."Get an upgrade and stay on the same pay for the rest of your career!! We are truely a career airline!!!" :sad: :sad:

Many thanks to the CC for their great jopb so far, you have my FULL support!
/CP:ok: :ok:

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

CaptainProp,

I think the point is that the pay increase we were originally seeking was all we could expect to achieve given the BALPA membership at the time. The fact that even that very reasnoble approach was rejected by the company and led to their ridiculous offer led to the stampede of new members (In particular the suggestion of a "B" scale for the continent led to membership going from near zero in the continental bases to clear majority statis now.)If these level are maintained, we are certainly in a good position for future negotiations, but i don't think we could or should retrospectivley increase our claim just because we have a bigger stick to swing now.

What it WILL mean is, after the pay claim is dealt with, being in a much stronger position to go on and deal with the other issues such as rostering, transfers, DECs etc.

For the sake of a couple of % the company has "woken a sleeping giant and filled him with resolve."

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

WizofOz and others,
It may not be the right thing to do to increase the size of the pay claim now that the momentum has swung decisevely our way, but it does bode well for the future.
Once the pilots in easyJet, and I specifically mean the new joiners here, have a taste for what can be acheived when we all stick together, the shopping list can now include a (few) other points that need rectifying:
1) The use of DEC's in favour of our own pilots;
2) The leave system, although arguably better, still has holes in it;
3) 5/2/5/4 must become 5/4/5/4 to ensure adequate rest and avoid fatigue (too late for some?)
4) Losing crew food is not an option
5) The pension is inadequate.
6) Total mistrust of the management's harsh practises.
7)The shares were supposed to be part of our package.

It's too late for the 300 that have left since 2002, but maybe now the pilots have a scent for victory, this will be the first of many.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Talking about pay increase we could achieve...what Balpa is going to claim exactly? nothing on the Balpa website, nothing by mail or Email;
we are now quiet a few wondering what balpa is asking; would be nice to know though...

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Colonel klink, surrely Balpa, by now, must have a plan to offer to the management, and reasonnable figures to be communicated to members?

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Well, as I am no longer on the CC, I wouldn't expect them to discuss what goes on behind closed doors with me. However, I am sure they have a figure in mind and that we will all be asked whether or not to accept when another offer is tabled. What a shock to the airline if we rejected it anyway, just because we could!!!! How would they cope if being unreasonable for us became the norm as we showed them what their behaviour has been like for so long!!!
Might even get some back pay to put on my Visa card to pay off Christmas since the pay deal is dated 1st October, 2005. But don't go spending it just yet,

Regards, CK.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

One of the most difficult tasks a union negotiator faces during negotiations is "managing expectations" among pilots. BALPA's policy is not to publicise their opening position and indeed initially to not even have an opening position on first contact with management.

I support the policy until it is changed by a majority of the members.

To make this a career airline, we need
Seniority
15% Company contribution to pensions
At least a 25% lifetime pay increase
Incremental pay scales
4/4/4/4 NOW

BALPA knows this is make or break for ezy pilots and BALPA in ezy.

The alternative is an in house union that everyone belongs to and purchases all services (Negotiating, Insurance, Representation, Technical Assistance, etc) as required.

BALPA does not need this to happen in ezy. Harrison just got back from his skiing holiday yesterday so I expect some movement shortly. Glad he could get the time off.

With the recent escalation in the share price due to takeover rumours, our threat of a strike should have considerably more influence on those managers whose bonuses are now directly linked to share price.

Easy is looking for FOs via Parc!
 

Hey guys,

just got the information that Parc Aviation on behalf of EasyJet is looking for rated B737Efis/NG FOs for an immediate start....

Are there so many guys running away? Or is Easy just preparing for any potential strike? :}

cheers

Re: Easy is looking for FOs via Parc!
 

Probably both... :hmm:

Re: Easy is looking for FOs via Parc!
 

I wonder if this is the vacancy Wilma is talking about: http://www.parcaviation.aero/aviatio...il.asp?id=2648
What a great way to run a "low cost" airline if this turns out to be true! :yuk:
No pay increase for the EU based pilots, but instead money is wasted on contract agencies because the managers (who award themself lucrative share options for having met performance targets) have screwed up yet again! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Would you buy shares in such a company? I think these Icelanders have NO idea what they´re getting in to! http://www.dennyweb.com/viking_kittens.htm

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

Wilma,

No, most likely to cover a shortfall over summer due to the number of pilots training on the A319.

Re: 99% of easyjet pilots reject pay offer
 

WizofOz and Wilma, most likely pilots required, nothing to do with the A319 training, more likely to cover for the 130 that left last year!

:confused:

......... and still not a word regarding the revised offer from the company.

All that has been leaked so far, suggests that the offer is complex, surprise surprise. Most probably the same deal respun ! Wouldn't Tony be proud of them.

Unless the company come up with a decent and transparent revised offer quickly,it will cost them dearly.

There are some encouraging signs here. I am given to understand that the reason for the delay is the 'new' offer had to be approved by the board since it involved more expenditure than the previous one. That has to be a good thing, but clearly it depends on just how much the board are willing to spend. I am gratified to see that all the pilots are wary of a complex and conditional offer which leaves us all scratching our heads trying to work out whether we are going up in the world or down! Our flt ops management have so seriously mishandled this issue that they have created a monster in their own garden in the form of a vibrant BALPA and a willingness to fight. I personally will strike but would love to avoid such a wasteful and unnecessary outcome. It is my hope that sufficent common sense will have prevailed to leave the pilots a way out without industrial action - time will tell if my hopes are misplaced or not.

Very, very well said NSF!

Just incase anybody has any doubt about the attitudes of Easyjet senior management. The following figures have been taken directly from the Annual Report and Accounts 2005 which has just been released.
Ray Webster’s salary last year increased from £390000 to £401090. On top of that he was paid a bonus of £117000 (30% of salary). In Oct 2006 he will receive another bonus of £232811 (58% of salary).
To put these figures in perspective pilot shares options are worthless for the second year running and can be thrown away, and as most of you are aware, in real terms we have been offered a pay cut this year. Finally, should Easyjet make the FTSE 100 before Sept 2008 senior management will be awarded a years pay in the form of share options. No wonder they are trying to cut our terms and conditions.

I await with interest to see if the offer meets the expectations of the pilots. It is my understanding that the proportion of BALPA members in ej is now only bettered by BA and Virgin. With those sort of figures we should be able to dictate what we want as a fair settlement!

Of course, this will have created a monster within easyJet pilot ranks. Once the boys get used to getting rather than giving, who knows where this could end up? Maybe 4on/4off, a decent salary and improved pension, better leave and share options worth something.AND A BIT OF SELF-RESPECT.
I'll bet one thing, though. The members of our board won't quite know what hit them, being told by their pilots what to do!!!

Keep joining BALPA, lads..........!!!

Hi!
I have a question concerning the 5% loyalty-bonus, is it paid annually ?
Increasing to 10% annually after 5 years of service ?

Best regards!

Yep, loyalty bonus (based on Line Captain basic salary is £66938) is 5% years 2-5, 10% years 6-10 etc, paid on anniversary of joining, but F/Os only accrue seniority - they get nothing until promotion to Captain - this is a very sore point, Balpa negotiated away their bonus a couple of years ago!

However good the offer, they'll have to better it if you refuse it. GOOD LUCK!

Max

Balpa DID NOT negotiate the FO loyalty bonus away!

It was going to be removed BY THE COMPANY for EVERYONE but, after many weeks of argument, it was retained for capt's, with accrued seniority rights for FO's.

Without Balpa it would already be confined to history (as would BA's pension)!

Some very wise words spoken here by NSF and co however i for one would strike just for the sole purpose of screwing management out of bonus's!
I realise thats a bit of a childish attitude but this is the kind of attitude that greed breeds!

Corperate greed is fast becoming the downfall of many companies, to much money being taken by to few from so many!! (old Winston would be turning in his grave!).

ezy pay offer (lack of!)
 

this is my first ever post! pause for applause to slowly dwindle.......
I have never felt any particular urge to air my views,but these pay negotiations have changed all that.
NSF, I would like to have your babies.If you ever want to stand for parliament, you have got my vote.So far, you have,in succinct and erudite fashion,voiced everything I have wanted to say on this issue but couldn't be bothered to. :ok: Gosh,I've even re-joined BALPA!
Ladies and Gennulmen, we should be looking at the example of our colleagues in Virgin Atlantic.Same old crap from management-can't afford it,tough times,jam tomorrow,blah blah..... But-the guys and gals held out for their goal-parity with BA.Nothing outrageous,just parity.Ezy is no longer the new upstart up against the big boys.it is a mature,profit-making airline that needs a suitable package to make it a career airline of choice,not default.
The company can afford £26k for an ad in the Times to say ta to Webster.It can afford a £6 million bonus for the bosses.It can afford a £2 million goodbye package to Webster.It can afford very generous share options for the management (only the management....).


IT CAN AFFORD A DECENT PACKAGE FOR US.
Accept nothing less.
Get out the donkey jackets for the picket line......

£1 in the Big Issue to say goodbye to CTC with some luck!

BFB

I see our dearly beloved and sadly only semi departed RW flogged another £1.2m in shares on the 20th Jan and he still holds nearly 3m more of them.....