NATS directors fly off as millionaires

Two directors of the air traffic control group NATS flew off into the sunset with £million pay and benefits packages, the company’s latest accounts reveal.

Paul Barron stood down as chief executive at the end of the financial year — 31 March 2010. His final pay and benefits package came to just over £2 million. His basic salary was £672,000 on top of which he received a £931,000 bonus and £50,000 worth of benefits. In May 2010, Barron’s final year bonus of £274,000 was paid making a total of £1,927,000 — a 158% increase on the £747,000 he received in 2009.

Lawrence Hoskins retired at the end of the financial year with a total pay and benefits package of £1.29 million — a 143% increase.

Prospect, the professionals' union representing over 3,000 air traffic controllers, engineers and specialists at NATS, described the sums as “disgraceful and repugnant”.

Garry Graham, aviation officer at the union, said: “In a year when our members have had to endure a pay freeze, and senior management have lectured staff on the need for restraint and to reduce costs, we see two departing executives choosing to ‘fill their boots’.

“This is another example of the red in tooth and claw impact of partial privatisation — where there is one rule for staff and another for senior executives. It is yet one more reason we believe the further sell-off of NATS should be opposed.”

www.nats.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/NATS_ARAA_2010.pdf

www.prospect.org.uk/news/newsstory.php?news=694