That about half of the fighter pilots will leave the Armed Forces is neither a threat nor a strike. These are people who have decided to move on because they have lost confidence in the management. This is also the opinion of Per-Martin Sternevi, who is chairman of the Swedish Armed Forces’ Interest Association (FPI).
– It is already clear, it will happen, he says to SVT News.
Investing SEK 600 million
To address the dissatisfaction from the fighter pilots, Air Force Chief Carl-Johan Edström has decided that they will invest SEK 600 million over the next ten years. Among other things, they will invest in a new salary structure and investigate how to deal with the consequences of the changed retirement age.
But according to Per-Martin Sternevi, the investment is not enough.
– It is bread crumbs against what needs to be done, he says.
On Thursday evening, Carl-Johan Edström announced that he had invited the employers’ organizations (ATO) to a meeting to discuss the problem, reports Swedens radio.
The fighter pilot: Low confidence in the organization
In 2016, the retirement age for fighter pilots was raised from 55 to 67, and in 1999 it was decided that the pilots’ flight certificates would only apply within the Armed Forces. Since 1999, the salary structure has also stood still, according to the fighter pilot that SVT spoke to who wishes to remain anonymous. For him, however, the pension issue is the biggest reason why he is leaving the profession this autumn.
– I was hired in 2015 with the idea of being able to retire at 55. But in 2016, the retirement age for those born in 1988 or later was changed. There are very many of my age who have been trained and employed under certain conditions which have since been removed. For that reason, it is not worth stopping, he says and points out that he has lost confidence in the organization.
What should you do instead?
– I will study this autumn. And if I think that the education has given me so much that I get the compensation that is reasonable for what I am doing, I resign and change course.
SVT is looking for Air Force Chief Carl-Johan Edström for a comment.