Industrial action!
 

It appears the drums are beating amongst the troops at Easy for industrial action over the latest from the inept pilot management team.

When reality sinks in, has any pilot group ever really gone on strike?

There has been at individual airlines, at least. Northwest Airlines springs to mind and I think Air France had one too. Bound to have been others

I don't know of any Airline Pilot that wishes for a strike. However, when a company pushes the pilot group into a corner it becomes a 'make or break' for that pilot group. Bend over now and the company will have the means to lower T&C's continually. Consequently the pilot group has little choice but to gather support and fight any unilateral changes to T&C's.

In Easyjet, the way this latest communication was released and what it proposes has been enough to see the Pilots pull together, long time non members of the union are rejoining and the levels were pretty high before hand. It saddens me personally that this is the way we have to work but that is what, FATCAT SHORT TERM managers who will be gone in a matter of months, want.

Try opening your eyes and seeing the state of the industry! Makes as much sense as Vauxhall workers striking for more pay! Companies are hanging on watching any surpluses fast disappearing. Services are being withdrawn and consolidated. Good luck if you think IR will get you anywhere, but most airlines are at the stage of 'hanging onto current pay? That would be brilliant!' rather than 'more money/better TCs!'. Pay cuts are almost upon us, especially if we go into deflation.

Hey Rainboe, seems to me that it is fair to judge any strike only after you know the reason for it. Do you ? (I don't)

Striking helps no-one. However, if people feel forced into it and normal negotiations fail, then it is the final resort.

I do hope it doesn't come to that though.

I have no idea what the issues at EZY are, but I doubt it is anything minor.

and to be fair...anyone who's based in KWI mouthing off about IR issues in Easy is probably a correspondent from Troll central!! :p:p:p

Well said golfyankeesierra. It's a bit pointless someone making comment and judgement without having a clue what this is about.

This is not about asking for increased pay, better T+Cs, etc.

This is about fighting to halt a managerial decision to reduce our T+Cs. Deciding to remove (refresh!) crew food which has already been paid for out of our previously reduced salary, removing tea and coffee for God's sake!, and reducing crew water!! (Health and safety issues there at the very least!) This is about stopping the use of contract captains, while at the same time telling our SFOs in the command hold pool that there are no positions for them.

It's alright trying to appear high and mighty and condescending about this, but it wasn't too long ago that BA pilots were willing to strike to protect their T+Cs over the Open Skies issue. There are obviously a lot more details to this than I have posted here, but suffice to say this is not about asking for payrises (unlike AH and JC awarding themselves 10% and 20% payrises in recent days!)

Northwest pilots did go on strike in '98 for two weeks and ended up with an improved contract. In their earlier years they were known as Cobra Airlines; strike at anything.

Fight Back! - October 1998 - Pilots Win First Round at Northwest Airlines

For those of us old enough BOAC went on strike I think in the 1960s.

But before they went on strike they had "restriction of cooperation" (=working to rule), like no fly with any defects, no discretion and full procedural approaches everywhere to mention a few things.

Pilot Strikes
 

Pilots certainly have gone on strike. In Australia in the late 1980's the domestic RPT pilots went on strike. PM Bob Hawke put the RAAF C130's into public service and famously described the pilots as "Nothing but glorified bus drivers". Nobody but overseas airlines snapping up the striking pilots won out of the deal.

Try Eastern Airlines, the pilots went on strke and the airline went out of business.

Showed them by God.

For the best part of thirty years now the mantra has been 'Strikes help no one, achieve nothing and are a waste of time and effort. Strikers are biting the hand that feeds them & thus they are a bunch of Marxist / Anarchist hooligans'.

In the same time terms and conditions in most industries have been eroded, jobs are out sourced to the cheapest locations and the big bosses pay has sky rocketed.

It is about time there was a reassessment of this condition and if the staff at a company feel that their concerns are not being addressed then taking industrial action may be the only available solution. It is not a decision workers take lightly.

A source from the inside tells me that the unrest is due to management degrading T&C's (taking away water, and reducing crew food, which some pilots took a paycut to keep), and something relating to contract captains.

The part I found interesting is that the management recently awarded themselves a payrise that would have easily paid for crew water and food for 2+ years!

Despicable! My sympathy to you, and I wish you every success!

Strikes are first and foremost a management failure. Keeping your workforce working, if not always deliriously happy, is far more important than executive pay rises.

And whatever grade of workforce you're in dispute with, the one which reflects least well on management is a cockpit-crew dispute. If you can't manage an airline without ripping off your cockpit crew, then you can't manage at all.

I do not believe there has been any formal mention of a strike by BALPA however given the current level of resentment against management it would be no great surprise. Following a winter of what seemed to be productive negotiation, some einstein seems to have decreed from on high that its not enough so they're gonna do a 'smash n grab' on conditions. Given that those on the AMB have yet again awarded themselves handsome payrises this year and still can't settle their differences with Stavros the whole idea isn't going down too well with the troops.
This isn't about a few teabags. This has been simmering for months. It began with a full scale assault on rostering which still seems ongoing, then we have part-time contracts for new captains, removal of uniform allowances, loss of disruption pay, possible contract crews, removal of crew food provisions, gb integration issues. The esteemed leaders have opened up just about every old wound in a single email - so you can imagine the tone of that email and just in time for summer too. Mix that in with roster optimisation that positions crews between 2 uk airports via central europe and you can see the sort of summer that lies ahead in the world of orange.
Nobody wants a strike but a certain influential cloggy wants to break BALPA and unlock the key to the Ryanair airbus division. That, along with his other ideas (of which there are few) is ill-conceived at best.

When I worked for a Very Big Company with a Significant Logo I was often told cost cutting measures and various management decisions that negatively effected staff were to increase shareholder value. I pointed out once that I too was a shareholder and that I wished to see a balance between profit and social responsibility which in my humble opinion would be for the long term benefit of the company and it's customers. I quickly realised that I wasn't a big enough shareholder to harbour such opinions.

These geniuses never went on strike. AFAP persuaded them to resign en masse. They fell for it hook, line and sinker.

See: The Australian Pilots Dispute of 1989 by Alex Paterson

Note that the incident is generously described as a 'dispute', not a 'strike'.

I've been on strike, they haven't. Don't let them BS you on this issue. A sad day for eveyone, but they were never on strike.

Pilots on strike?
 

SABENA just before they went under

Rescue
 

Just confirms the industry nick name "Such A Bloody Experience Never Again":ugh::E

Do you have any idea how tough it is in the 'real' world at the moment?

If you are stupid enough to strike in the current climate, you deserve whatever you get !

The only positive thing is that there would be more market share for the rest of us :mad:

Strike or Dispute
 

Airbubba You can split hairs if you like, the pilots withheld their services, albeit restricting them to normal office hours. Many of your countrymen were quick enough to jump into their seats.

Some of us have already taken significant pay cuts to keep our companies afloat.............so if any of you are so stupid and delusional as to think Industrial action is a good idea then you will surely reap what you sow in short measure. You are lucky to have a job in the present climate.

Yes we should be so lucky shouldn't we and we should doff our caps to The Big Boss Who Knows Best and because there is a financial crises not of our causing we should allow ourselves to be rogered anyway they want to do us. For that is progress?

You might have all the genuine reasons to strike based upon what you are seeing, please change the glasses with what you see, and endavour to observe things from a higher prospective, what I meant look at the bigger picture. Employees are the dinamo of any company, the true asset, you ought to be looking for solutions to help your company overcome the present difficulty rather than augumenting the problem going on strike.

Then in few months when the company does not survive because first and foremost it was you who mis-handled the opportunity, don't be sitting around dreaming of how it used to be.

Remember when you point a finger at others, you have three fingers pointed at you.

Wise up you people, and make decisions pro-life that your company might overcome this present challenge and encourage each other that you may see better days to come.

Long D

Well I would like to think that the Management at Easy had sufficient sense to realise that if the workers at the coalface are being asked/told of reduced terms and conditions then they would naturally forgo any bonus.

I've never been a supporter of strikes in our profession but if that is what it takes to bring a somewhat blind management, (that is so young it only knows commercial success), to it's senses then, so be it.

For those that still haven't cottoned on to what this is about, I will state again this is NOT about trying to get a payrise.

This is about continual attacks on our terms and conditions, as well as potential Health and Safety issues.

For the longhaul operators among us, imagine doing a 10 hour duty to JFK, Miami, Chicago, etc and being issued with only two 500ml bottles of crew water and a couple of sandwiches... with the company stating their intention is to get rid of it entirely. Of course you can't just pull over mid-flight to pick up some refreshments, just like we don't have time to nip into the terminal on a 25 minute turnaround.

The pilots accepted new part-time contracts for new captains to help the company's seasonality issues. This was done through negotation with the company. Of course some crew were not willing to accept this as they felt it would be the start of the atack on our T+Cs. We voted and as a majority it was accepted so as to avoid the use of contract captains over the peak summer months. This would at the very least offer some career progression to our hard-working and very able SFOs who are sitting patiently in the command holdpool. Now the company have basically said 'Stuff you! We'll take in contract captains anyway.'

As usual, it is the workforce who bear the brunt of some ridiculous managerial decisions. They state that by removing crew tea and coffee (which is already paid for from our own salary.. therefore they have no right to take it away) they will achieve an annual saving of £400,000. At the same time, they award themselves pay increases amounting to double that figure!

Last year they sent out an email highlighting that the market looked tough for the following year and that they were voluntarily having a management pay freeze. It was soon discovered that they had awarded themselves massive share bonuses of several hundred thousand pounds only a couple of weeks earlier.

No-one has yet accepted responsibility for the recent decision to hedge fuel at $1204 per tonne, when the current market cost is about one third of that price.

As a pilot workforce, we are a generally easy and realistic bunch of people. We gladly will share the pain in tough times, but as you can see, the only sharing here is among the crew, while the AMB are filling their pockets at our expense.

A first step work to rule is not too far away.

Rhythm Method
A very good post but I think it goes futher.
I have never seen so much money wasted.
AH was questioned recently why a TFS was cancelled instead of paying 1 c\c member overtime .He didnot seem to understand that paying £75 instead of hotels for nearly 400 people not to mention the compensation would be cheaper. The flt was the outbound so return also cancelled.
estimated cost £70000 not to mention pax goodwill.
I could go on and on but I will retire before typing it all.
This unrest is not all about terms and conditions but protecting the companys long term future.
AH is in dispute with Stelios for a good reason.
Stelios wants longterm success for the company as his reputation is at stake while AH wants short term profit to fill his pockets.
ITS THE BANKERS ALL OVER AGAIN.

hellsbrink,

thanks for the laugh :ok:

Ref strikes. . . " and I think Air France had one too " :D :rolleyes:

To AH and rest of easyjet management grow up. By awarding bonus shares and perks etc, expecting the workers to pay for it. You are putting the long term future of the company in doubt. More to the point you are also putting your future in the company at risk. The days of greedy managers are well and truly over. Be fair or the shareholders will kick you out.

In the present economic climate, worse T+Cs are the way of the world. Don't think you're irreplacable.

If there are unemployed guys out there who would take your position on the new terms, you don't have a leg to stand on.

Remember Ronald Reagan and the controllers. They thought they were safe but got fired and replaced by the military.

For those of you holier than thou individuals who are already wishing our demise for being greedy in these lean times - you have no idea what you are talking about.:=

Nobody takes the issue of industrial action lightly but this is not really about any individual issue, but more about insiduous developments.

Management have failed to communicate with our elected representatives for the past month. They have then declared both a reduction in terms and conditions and the intention to bring in contract captains.

It is the fact that they have shown no respect to their arrangment with BALPA and that they are unilaterally imposing changes to our contracts that is the essence to this unrest.

If it meant giving up terms and conditions in a negotiated settlement to keep things going, then so be it, however I will not let the company railroad changes to our T's and C's without discussion.

But as some believe, we should be grateful for a job during this race to the bottom of our profession.

So who's in charge? These days it's pretty obvious.

The bosses are in charge, not employees or BALPA. Like it or not, take it or leave it.

Dysag: you've got no idea so please don't judge until you fully understand what's going at EJ at present.

Broken contractual obligations as well as health & safety issues are the order of the day at present. Additionally, like it or not the company have a duty of care towards employees particularly in the unique challenges of our profession. Don't forget; we can't even take a bottle of water through security!!

And just to correct you: the shareholders are ultimately in charge and not the 'bosses'. These shareholders also includes a vast majority of employees.

conditions
 

I have read this post with tongue in cheek but need to add my 2 cents. I am unemployed at the moment and continue to see and speak with people who have had their T&C s diminished and or removed while at the top end things seem to be better with bonus's and what not. The whole idea of being unionized is so that employees can speak with one voice and communicate with management. It was said earlier that your management is imposing these new ideas without a discussion thereby ignoring communication. What would it take to bring them back to the table and communicate before strike action ? The work to rule idea sounds good.
To those of you opposed to organized labour I suggest you take a look at the conditions in a place like the UAE where employees have absolutely no rights. You should be glad that your constitution allows for such means and not excercising your rights means that you will end up losing them by default. I am not condoning a strike nor dissuading public action...If saving 400,000 £ is going to make or break the company then they have bigger underlying issues that need to be looked at.
Good Luck Easy Pilots ..may the force be with you.

Assuming that a UK-registered aircraft is a place of work within the meaning of the health and Safety at Work Act, then the obligations placed on the employer by the Act include "An adequate supply of wholesome drinking water shall be provided for all persons at work in the workplace".

See HSE Frequently Asked Questions - Does my employer have to pr...

If EJ is indeed restricting the supply of free potable water, then someone with a direct interest should speak to their local HSE.

Until something happens on that front, is there any reason, apart from the time involved, to stop anyone wanting a litre of water airside making ten trips through security with 100ml each time? Ridicule can be the most effective way of fighting tyranny!

To start with the beginning of the tread. Just do a little research and you will find companies like SAS, Iberia and Air France all have been on strike in recent years. Remember also that Al Italia pilots had the guts to stand their ground in the airline darkest hour.

It appears the relatively new orange management has decided to go down the Ryanair route. For our profession sake I believe the easy pilots will draw a line now.

Isn't it funny how expecting your employer to respect a previously negotiated contract is seen as taking the pi$$ but awarding (or manipulating the rules to manage to award yourself ) a bonus is seen as your just reward for mismanaging the company into the mess it is in.
As usual, one rule for "them" and quite another indeed for "us".

Do you have an idea of what would be the terrible consequences of a strike at easyjet during this economic climate?
Can you compare very big and old companies like Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, Fedex with very strong financial structure opposed to low cost airlines like easyjet and ryanair which are already starting to struggle? :ouch:

Wind Check,

I don't believe either easy or RYR are starting to struggle. Both companies have loads of money in the bank and from what I hear easy is performing better than expected. Easy have given some Managers a pay rise and appears to pay bonuses this year as well. That can hardly be a company in severe trouble.