Well, after the ridiculous gesture of capping CPO tech-rates at level 7 whilst their B13nie counterparts glide up to level 9 (and are on the same wonga as Charges) thanks to Pay 2000 (the lamentable reasoning given by branch managers at the time was 'B13nies will never get to level 9 anyway') and then the stupidity of trying to 'purpleise' the branch structure by 'upgrading' the CCPO to Warrant Officer (Two - i.e. not invited to the Warrants' big shindig at Collingwood) apparently the mob has finally bitten the bullet and decided to scrap the WO2 rate entirely in what looks like a last ditch attempt to stem the outflow of personnel and allow ETs to reach WO1 (like they didn't even know this)
This has nothing to do with the fact that the rate itself became the dumping ground for any old shitty little task. It also ensured that another reasonless, pointless and thankless hurdle was put in the way of ambitious, talented and hardworking technicians who in many cases deserved the Tate and Lyles, but had to do their time in the lower, downgraded rate, hoovering up Officer of the Day duties aplenty, divisional duties, watchkeeping, subbing for DepCos and Senior departmental staffers and generally forming the spit-glue that bonds the department together. The mere fact that notice giving for all WO2s became an issue so grave that not even the recent 'sweetener' (which, when examined closely was nothing of the sort and simply fulfilled the depleting sea-roster for appointers) was good enough for people who had just simply had enough. And industry offers freedom of choice, no duties, no-one else's kids to look after and no sea time for equivalent spondoolies, even more if your pensh is counted in. Then of course, there's compensating for the so-far unsuccessful transition to Engineering Techncian, which has seen the WEs and MEs stripped of its horsepower at LH through to CPO level.
So now its 'fast track' to the top. A craven admission that since 2004, the engineering branch managers simply got it wrong, and saw off bunch of people who either stuck it out in misery, or pissed off outside. Be nice to see if there are any sample cases of people having left taking the mob to task for retrospective wage, pensh and gratuity loss.
Don't get me wrong. I am glad they have done this and glad some sense has come about because of it, even if it smacks of desperation. But its a **** up of phenomenal quantities, and one which should not go unanswered.
levers
This has nothing to do with the fact that the rate itself became the dumping ground for any old shitty little task. It also ensured that another reasonless, pointless and thankless hurdle was put in the way of ambitious, talented and hardworking technicians who in many cases deserved the Tate and Lyles, but had to do their time in the lower, downgraded rate, hoovering up Officer of the Day duties aplenty, divisional duties, watchkeeping, subbing for DepCos and Senior departmental staffers and generally forming the spit-glue that bonds the department together. The mere fact that notice giving for all WO2s became an issue so grave that not even the recent 'sweetener' (which, when examined closely was nothing of the sort and simply fulfilled the depleting sea-roster for appointers) was good enough for people who had just simply had enough. And industry offers freedom of choice, no duties, no-one else's kids to look after and no sea time for equivalent spondoolies, even more if your pensh is counted in. Then of course, there's compensating for the so-far unsuccessful transition to Engineering Techncian, which has seen the WEs and MEs stripped of its horsepower at LH through to CPO level.
So now its 'fast track' to the top. A craven admission that since 2004, the engineering branch managers simply got it wrong, and saw off bunch of people who either stuck it out in misery, or pissed off outside. Be nice to see if there are any sample cases of people having left taking the mob to task for retrospective wage, pensh and gratuity loss.
Don't get me wrong. I am glad they have done this and glad some sense has come about because of it, even if it smacks of desperation. But its a **** up of phenomenal quantities, and one which should not go unanswered.
levers
Last edited: