Chc To Layoff?

[onegear]

I have just heard through the grapevine, that CHC/Heli-one are laying off alot of folks.

Any one know anything about that?

Not good news from where I sit thats for sure. :down:

[helicopterjim]

Cost cutting so thay have enough money to buy Discovery Air?

[scottyp1973]

so its a good rumor!

[JustanAME]

It's not a rumour! Over fifty people were let go today at Heli-One. More to follow tomorrow in YVR...

[Ryan]

Word on the grapevine is that over 70 pilots have been laid off this year so far. Yikes.

[N1]

Shock as Aberdeen helicopter jobs axed

By Stephen Christie

 

Published: 17/02/2009

 

The north-east division of one of the world’s leading helicopter maintenance firms is to shed up to 60 jobs in response to a decline in work brought on by the global recession, the P&J can reveal.

 

Bosses at Heli-One spoke to the 80-strong workforce yesterday at the company’s Aberdeen Airport base, where news of the redundancies filtered down to employees.

 

It is understood just 25 jobs will be secured at the company, which is a subsidiary of Canadian firm CHC Helicopter Corporation, a leading provider of helicopters in the North Sea energy sector.

 

News of the cuts comes just days after Oil and Gas UK warned that up to 50,000 jobs could be at risk in the energy industry over the next two years because of the credit crisis and global recession.

 

The redundancies came under criticism last night from a local union representative, who called the move by CHC “questionable”.

 

Fiona Farmer, of Unite, insisted that there remained a demand for the company’s services in the region and said she would be holding urgent talks with senior management in the coming days.

 

Last night, an employee affected by the cutbacks contacted the P&J to speak of his shock at the news.

 

The man, who asked not to be named, said it had come “completely out of the blue”.

 

“Management called a meeting this afternoon where they announced this,” he said. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s to do with this whole global financial situation facing the country but I thought we wouldn’t really be affected.”

 

Ms Farmer said: “My understanding is most of the Aberdeen operation will be affected, which is something we have grave concerns about. There is a downturn in activity but not to an extent where this has to happen.

 

“There is still a demand for the work Heli-One does, so I want to know where the work is going to go. I would be very concerned if it were to go to workers in other countries.

 

“I find the whole decision very questionable and we will be meeting with management this week.”

 

The company said it “very much” regretted the decision to lay off workers but claimed this was essential in the face of the economic slowdown.

 

A spokesman added: “CHC can confirm that its repair and overhaul division, Heli-One, has commenced a consultation process over proposed redundancies at its base maintenance facility in Aberdeen.

 

“CHC has instigated the process in response to the industry-wide downturn in activity.

 

“The proposed redundancies, involving between 50 and 60 members of staff, would reduce personnel levels at the base to the level required for forecast future activity.”

 

Support

The spokesman said 25 people would continue to work for the company in the city to provide logistics and design support.

 

Heli-One’s premises are at Kirkhill Industrial Estate, Dyce, where facilities include a hangar, blade shop, stores and an administration department.

 

The company’s website says it employs about 80 people in Aberdeen.

 

Its global headquarters are in Canada. It has a base in Norway and offices in the US and the Netherlands.

 

The stark warning over the future of jobs in the North Sea was delivered last week by Oil and Gas UK, although it said the possibility of 50,000 job losses across the UK was a “worst-case scenario”.

 

It said its latest estimate was that capital investment in new and existing fields had fallen from £5.6billion in 2006 to just under £5billion in 2008.

 

The UK industry now employs 34,000 in oil companies and major contractors and a further 230,000 in the supply chain.

 

[onegear]

My sources confirmed that 5o are let go from Boundary Bay, and that the CHC corperate Global Ops layoff are to happen today. 4 apprentices and at least 4 avionics and other cuts throughout the company.

 

Dark days

[ame206350]

My sources confirmed that 5o are let go from Boundary Bay, and that the CHC corperate Global Ops layoff are to happen today. 4 apprentices and at least 4 avionics and other cuts throughout the company.

 

Dark days

 

Bad news indeed. Very sorry to hear about this.

[transquebecniece]

I am very sorry to those who've lost their jobs and those who may just around the corner. Very scary times indeed. I also wish companies would find a far better word to use than "redundancies" when letting workers go. That's like a slap on top of a slap, IMHO. Best of luck to all. I hope it turns around for the better REAL SOON. Keep your chins up!

[JustanAME]

I am very sorry to those who've lost their jobs and those who may just around the corner. Very scary times indeed. I also wish companies would find a far better word to use than "redundancies" when letting workers go. That's like a slap on top of a slap, IMHO. Best of luck to all. I hope it turns around for the better REAL SOON. Keep your chins up!

 

You're right on, they're not redundancies. Some very smart and efficient people were let go here. One person told me this could have been completely avoided if years ago some understood that this company operated helicopters and not an airline and as a result understood the different dynamics of such an operation. The old Ok crews sure did, so what went wrong here ?. As the new American owners begin uncovering all the deadwood, assuming the new owners find the remaining deadwood soon enough CHC might just come out of it. It will take a couple more flushes to clean the place out. Hopefully good people will get to come back, but we all know what happens, nobody waits, nor should they.

 

As I write this I have just been told that another 20 were let go from CHC at YVR this afternoon.