I am a B737-800 senior first officer employed with OSM, flying for Norwegian Air International. I had been working in the industry for a couple of years already before joining Norwegian in 2013. 

For me, the idea behind becoming a Company Council rep was related to help my colleagues and improving my working environment, pay and lifestyle. In addition, being a rep also helps with my postgraduate studies where I am exploring aspects of fatigue, reporting culture and rostering methods. Fatigue has become a substantial issue in aviation, especially after the introduction of the EASA FTLs. And, because I usually strive to fulfil my goals in the most professional manner, a closer engagement with BALPA came naturally. 

My main roles within the Company Council team concern activities within the rostering working group and a fatigue study. There is a lot of work to do in many areas, so I am also providing support in other issues that come along such as recent improvements to the vacation bidding. It is a little time-consuming at times, but the help I can provide to my fellow colleagues in work-related matters, the chance to take part in influencing change, and the overall experience of being a Company Council rep makes it all worth it. 

Having only joined the Company Council team in summer last year, there haven’t been any big personal achievements for me just yet. I hope to accomplish my main goals in the future, as well as continue to help my fellow colleagues at Norwegian, which will require a consistent effort and determination. 

One thing I appreciate is BALPA's professional and innovative approach to connecting companies and members. Also, for giving me the chance to develop my proficiency as a pilot, and in helping others, which I believe gives me a worthy experience for my future career progress. That’s a reason why becoming a Company Council rep was beneficial for me. From the outside, it seems to be a lot of work but as united we stand, united we share our responsibilities and our tasks when it comes to the duties towards our colleagues and members. 

We work with a great team and we continue to improve our relationship at management level – this is crucial for good cooperation and the quality of our negotiation process with them. And it is also our own individual progress that matters at the end of the day. To summarise in three words: help, contribution and own progress are my key words I would choose when encouraging fellow fliers to become a Company Council rep.