Contract Mins

[Skids Up]

In my example above all the hours were accounted for. 270 for 90 days. So the guy caught in the middle would get paid over and above the the total mins???? Don't think so, he would sit in camp for a bunch of days for less than mins I would think.

 

Have to agree with Grasshopper on this! You need to work with a better company! Some companies recognize that this can and does happen and make allowances.

 

I have always been paid on contract days/mins even if I didn't fly them before someone else did. Sometime the company has to take one for the team, sometimes we do.

 

Seems to always work out in the end...

[Helirider212]

The never ending saga of how we should be paid...!!!!! my belief is first I agree with the statement as pilots or engineers we are not in the financial risk business that is the owners chair. Daily mins means just what it implies a daily minimum guaranteed hours paid to the pilot. Which also means if I am guaranteed 4 hrs and I fly 5 then on said day I get paid 5 on the next day if I fly 3 I get paid 4 . If my *** is strapped to the seat I expect to be reimbursed for the risk and responsibility I took on that day. NO AVERAGING NO AVERAGING, anyone that goes to Ontario and really understands how they use averaging against not only the pilots but the companies should understand this position.

 

They OMNR think that a machine and a pilot should only get 4 hrs a day per day that you are on contract. which means that if you fly 5 days of 8 (which is highly unlikely to happen) that they then have the right to sit you for 5 days of no flying. So if you average you will get paid for 40 hrs if you go mins plus what you fly you would get 60 hrs. Which way do you want to be paid ,,I know where my vote goes. Ask anyone working for OMNR if they would work for 5 free days after getting paid overtime for the 5 previous days. Think about it, that is exactly what we are been asked to do if we average. You fly you take on risk and responsibility and should be paid for it. Mins are a way of guaranteeing that you make a living at the end of the season.

 

The companies need to learn how to say No to averaging..While I can agree to averaging within a 4 day contract, (for the helicopter not for the pilot) I do not agree with extending the averaging as the contract is extended..every 4 days ,or 3 , whatever the contract term is..zero out and start again.

 

Unfortunately this will only work if the pilots and the companies would stick together...something that is highly unlikely. In the end as a contract pilot be sure to spell it all out ahead of time ,it will save grief down the road.

 

One more thing to keep in mind...the company which probably leases the helicopter has no problem guaranteeing the Lessor (ie Eagle,who doesn't average) a fixed number of hrs, so why not the aircrew.

[Blackmac]

The never ending saga of how we should be paid...!!!!! my belief is first I agree with the statement as pilots or engineers we are not in the financial risk business that is the owners chair. Daily mins means just what it implies a daily minimum guaranteed hours paid to the pilot. Which also means if I am guaranteed 4 hrs and I fly 5 then on said day I get paid 5 on the next day if I fly 3 I get paid 4 . If my *** is strapped to the seat I expect to be reimbursed for the risk and responsibility I took on that day. NO AVERAGING NO AVERAGING, anyone that goes to Ontario and really understands how they use averaging against not only the pilots but the companies should understand this position.

 

They OMNR think that a machine and a pilot should only get 4 hrs a day per day that you are on contract. which means that if you fly 5 days of 8 (which is highly unlikely to happen) that they then have the right to sit you for 5 days of no flying. So if you average you will get paid for 40 hrs if you go mins plus what you fly you would get 60 hrs. Which way do you want to be paid ,,I know where my vote goes. Ask anyone working for OMNR if they would work for 5 free days after getting paid overtime for the 5 previous days. Think about it, that is exactly what we are been asked to do if we average. You fly you take on risk and responsibility and should be paid for it. Mins are a way of guaranteeing that you make a living at the end of the season.

 

The companies need to learn how to say No to averaging..While I can agree to averaging within a 4 day contract, (for the helicopter not for the pilot) I do not agree with extending the averaging as the contract is extended..every 4 days ,or 3 , whatever the contract term is..zero out and start again.

 

Unfortunately this will only work if the pilots and the companies would stick together...something that is highly unlikely. In the end as a contract pilot be sure to spell it all out ahead of time ,it will save grief down the road.

 

One more thing to keep in mind...the company which probably leases the helicopter has no problem guaranteeing the Lessor (ie Eagle,who doesn't average) a fixed number of hrs, so why not the aircrew.

 

As an ex- contracting officer with the fed's I would have to say I am partially to blame for the problem you are talking about. When a contract goes out to bid, X number of hours are stated for the period of the contract, i.e. 300 hours averaged over the stated period, should the hours be exceeded or the contract extended for what ever reason the contractor will state any additional hourly rate or costs. This of course is only applicable to the company. The contract with the company has no bearing on the relationship with said companies employ'es.

 

All I am stating is the company you are working for has NO responsibility for your wages, other than what you signed on for or agreed to.

 

 

Cheers Don

 

Comments are welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hybrid]

As an ex- contracting officer with the fed's I would have to say I am partially to blame for the problem you are talking about. When a contract goes out to bid, X number of hours are stated for the period of the contract, i.e. 300 hours averaged over the stated period, should the hours be exceeded or the contract extended for what ever reason the contractor will state any additional hourly rate or costs. This of course is only applicable to the company. The contract with the company has no bearing on the relationship with said companies employ'es.

 

All I am stating is the company you are working for has NO responsibility for your wages, other than what you signed on for or agreed to.

 

 

Cheers Don

 

Comments are welcome.

 

Actually its pretty simple, it's a contract that you either agree or not agree to. There are no unions, associations or any other entities to represent the pilot/AME. Be sure as you can be about the agreement you are agreeing to, you are representing yourself................ ask the necessary information you need????