Update - Direct Entry Training Captains & Meeting with Company
Further to our last brief we can confirm that most of the NJS Council were present at a meeting held yesterday with NJS representatives including Andrew Page and Tony MacDonald, to discuss the topic of Direct Entry Training Captains.
The company provided some background information into when expected pressure points were going to impact and that with the reduced level of training how they would be unable to sufficiently convert the necessary number of crew onto the new fleet to meet expected schedule demands. While it was explained that they we seeking to move as many current NJS pilots into the training arena as possible to ensure the quickest conversion onto the 220, additional external training captains were required.
The high level of feedback provided by members to the NJS Council enabled the concerns of the membership to be clearly highlighted to the company. While the general view was not opposition to the proposal, it was clear that the membership wanted reassurances that any such proposals would not place existing NJS pilots at a disadvantage either by potentially impacting members moving to the base of their choice or impacting those wanting to move into the training arena. In addition the Council made it clear that the pilot group wanted real transparency around the proposals including ideas from NJS to address the concerns of the current pilot group.
The company has confirmed that in the near future they will be providing more information to the pilot group regarding the current predicaments and the current proposals including steps to be taken to provide the reassurances sought by the pilot group. Once that information is circulated the Council will be keen to hear back from members to ensure that the ongoing views and concerns of the membership can be provided to the company. It was reassuring to hear that the company did confirm that all such arrivals would be directed to the Melbourne base and that they were close to progressing the process for current pilots to bid and move into a base of their choice.
A recurring topic raised by your Council reps was that of the ongoing lack of competitiveness of the current EA. The plans of the company included relatively minimal level of attrition coupled with a fairly significant and consistent intake of new FO’s. This of course is based on the premise that the EA can both retain and attract sufficient numbers of pilots. Your Council have and continue to flag that the current EA is not fit for purpose. Encouragingly the company recognise that, in the current environment, the EA does not assist in that equation.
The frustration is that despite this recognition from the company there has been little progress to actually address the substandard nature of the EA . We hope the ongoing pilot feedback either to your reps (but more importantly your senior management) will impress upon NJS to proactively address that problem. Rest assured that your reps will continue to press for improvements in these areas, as it is clear that many of the current pilot group are actively looking at employment alternatives unless tangible changes occur within the company.
We expect the next step will be for the company to provide further information around the expected problems, the current proposals and the potential safeguards that are being considered and that then this will enable further feedback to be received from the membership and for a further meeting to be organised with the NJS Council. Consequently keep your thoughts and ideas filtering up to your reps as part of this process.
Your NJS Council:
Anthony Clouting on
clouters@me.com
Eric Galliers on
ericgalliers@hotmail.com
Justin Gordon on
justin.gordon69@gmail.com
Paul Davison on
paul_davison85@hotmail.com
In addition AFAP staff member Chris Aikens can be contacted on
chris@afap.org.au. The AFAP also has their Member Assistance Program (MAP) which can be accessed via Freecall 1300 307 912