Are we better?

[CodeMonkey]

I had a similar argument(well one way conversation and i was talking) with a PTI while in clothing stores at tossford just as pay2000 came in. He was complaining that PTI's should get paid more! At the time i was feeling somewhat volatile and responded as follows:

"You think you should get paid more than me do you? How long is your trade training? Just in case you can't remember it's 26 weeks! I've already done 6 1/2 months basic trade and just completing 18 months fitters course, you think you should get paid more than me i don't fecking think so!!!!!"

He never said a word, come to think of it the other PTI that was there was quiet to.

Yes we all have a job to do but the restructuring of the pay bands in such an unfair way causes a lot of resentment. I agree there were trades that should have been brought onto the higher band but PTI's, Musicians definately not. The main reasons a lot of trades were rebanded was they had good trade sponsors where it seems the techies had spineless mice supporting them.

rant over

 

[Captain Gatso]

Pay 2000 cop out for techies.

Pay 2000 cop out for techies.

Pay 2000. what an issue that is, for all of us who went through it. I heard of whole courses at Cosford going straight to SHQ with a PVR forms. When it was briefed to them. At the time I couldn't blame them one bit. I remember a poster that was going round at my old post. It was a cartoon of four trades. At the top was a picture of a chef, holding a burnt pan. The inscription went" oh dear iv'e burnt it". The second was a PTI. The inscription went," oh dear, i have forget to press my shorts". The third was a musician. The inscription went. " Oh dear I have played the wrong note". The last one sumed it all up. It was a picture of a NCO techie, ****ting himself, with the inscription" oh dear, i have just killed two people". At the bottom of the poster was the inscription.
PAY 2000. THE BUCK STOPS HERE. I really think that the poster sums up really what is still going on today. If you are responsible for declaring that an aircraft is fit to fly. You should be paid to reflect that responsibility. We are always in the firing line if something goes wrong, then any other trade. day in day out. one day things will change but not in my time in the Air Force.DT_Xtremez_06:

 

[Realist78]

are we better

are we better

I think FS get dropped to the lower payscal don't they? And when the strectcher bearers get substansive Cpl straight out of training and onto the higher pay band thne I wonder how career earnings compare over 15 years say?

FSs don't get dropped but if they're a techie, they don't get incremental pay unless they only do something like 3-4 years as a chief.DT_Xtremez_09:

 

[Realist78]

are we better

are we better

I think payscales are a difficult one. As a techie, i can, and have, had to do jobs with a stupid amount of responsibility. Its not nice finding out that you were the last person to work on a jet that goes in - been there (wasnt my fault, daft growbag filler hit birds). Still, just look to Valley with the Hawk that went in on the runway to see what happens if you take your eye off the ball.

However. I think i'd not be happy with a dirty chef, or a crap nurse either. A good number of other trades have responsibilities on a par with techies. Some don't and that grips my sh!t. Fair cop, musicians spend ages qualifying. But essential to the job, life and death responsibilities? Nope.

Since i've been an NCO i've done jobs that i thought were miles over my head and felt really underpaid for. But equally i've sat on my ar£e a lot as well!

Shiney f@cks up and snaps a pencil-gets another out of the cupboard, chef f@cks up and breaks some eggs-makes an omelette, techie f@cks up and jet ploughs in with possibility of fatalities, slightly different responsibility I would say.