I'll Just Leave This Here : The Way You Get Paid Is Changing

[alphadog]

Basically , pilots will receive a very small monthly salary (think somewhere around 2000-2500) , a day rate , and flight pay to top it all off.No number of days per year guaranteed. Just the expectation that you will be available to work 180 over a 365 day period.This measure is taken to save the employer money over the slow winter months so don't expect a half work and half time off schedule.

Implications for you:

-Go ahead and tell your wife that starting in Jan. the family budget will suffer a major blow and to put those expenses on hold as you will be paid in the equivalent of a E.I benefit cheque every 2 weeks.

-In the event that you get hurt or lose your medical (not WCB related injury) from now on ,you will receive 65% tax free from those wages. As we all know, insurance companies don't take in to calculation your day rates and flight pay.

-This salary will affect the amount of money you will be able to receive if you get laid off and must receive E.I. (not sure how that gets calculated nowadays but 2000-2500 will not get you the max amount for sure)

-Remember, you still are a full time employee and therefore must be available for work when requested. So if you think you can get a job at the video store over the winter months to supplement your income, you are wrong.

-Come summer time, you better plan to be away from home with no set schedule as you need to make the money now. Remember, all your buddies will wanna do the same, cause everybody will be on the same boat.I know, that is nothing new for all of us , but we should be expecting better in 2015 and maybe after 20 years in the industry and after choosing to be a full time employee in order to provide some sort of stability for your family. And if you worked hard all those years and maybe your day rate is higher,expect the lower day rate guys to get most of the work. They deserve the work too , but I anticipate frictions.

-Go ahead and present those numbers as your only guaranteed income to your bank in order to buy a house or replace the beater.

Those who choose to contract themselves have the benefit of being able to work with another company in the winter and charge higher rates,maybe. Full time guys don't have that option and in situations like this I anticipate the market to be flooded with talented guys trying to make a decent living somewhere else.

This won't affect me , but it seems we are going backwards in this industry and in Canada especially.Lower wages,worse and worse schedules .

 

 

[helicopterjim]

Ok ..... so what's new about this? You make it sound like we have problems with our pay and schedule ...... not sure what you mean?

 

Plus ..... what is your point of posting if it doesn't apply to you? Are you exempt?

 

PS ..... what if we actually figured out we were overpaid? Should we tell someone?

[212wrench]

So go do something else. If I was you I would be far more concerned about drones replacing your job.

[GAZELLEBOY]

???

[GAZELLEBOY]

No pay system is perfect - what you are suggesting is pretty much like what it used to be in the old days (base pay, away from base pay and flight pay). it worked OK as long as the work was distributed equitably amongst pilots - Seasonnal lay offs are not any better - We have to find a way to deal with the slow season and retain our highly qualified people.

[alphadog]

Ok ..... so what's new about this? You make it sound like we have problems with our pay and schedule ...... not sure what you mean?

 

Plus ..... what is your point of posting if it doesn't apply to you? Are you exempt?

 

PS ..... what if we actually figured out we were overpaid? Should we tell someone?

Helicopterjim,if it doesn't apply to me it doesn't mean I shouldn't care. I have good friends and family that will be affected by this .Maybe you're worth that kind of money.Am not and the guys that I know and will be affected by this have gained skills over years of hard work ,sacrifices and loyalty. This multi layered pay system penalizes the field guy unjustly. Most likely top tier management it is not affected on the way they get paid by their inability to obtain meaningful contracts or maintain a management system that is not overburdened by positions that are in fact "make work". Nowadays the guy in the field and even the ops guys are the bottom and accountants run the show. Sad. 212wrench...fak you and fak yor drones. If you can't bring anything meaningful to the conversation ,don't intervene.

[Eng AW139]

Not bad to sit at home and wait for the phone to ring

[alphadog]

Not bad to sit at home and wait for the phone to ring

For that kind of money mind as well sit on EI or welfare benefits and wait for the phone to ring. I think it is condescending to price your people at such levels. Don't forget the implications that come in to play if you lose your medical or for some reasons need to go on disability. Anyways, I think this affects the pilots not the engineers so opinions from engineers are beside the point.

And again , a word for 212wrench. Am yet to see a helicopter making revenue with only an engineer as crew. People like you promote the "us vs. them" attitude that plague the industry.

[alphadog]

No pay system is perfect - what you are suggesting is pretty much like what it used to be in the old days (base pay, away from base pay and flight pay). it worked OK as long as the work was distributed equitably amongst pilots - Seasonnal lay offs are not any better - We have to find a way to deal with the slow season and retain our highly qualified people.

Gazelleboy, I believe that if there were any layoffs and come spring this would be the pay system presented for rehire, nobody would come back. Not without any number of days and flight hours guarantees.And than, mind as well be a contractor.

[GAZELLEBOY]

Agreed with ALphadog, such pay system can work only if it guarantees no lay off - I see it as a way to provide a retainer pay and you maintain your benefits year around - But we have to see the numbers /$ figures to fully assess the project - I think they are leaking the info to see how we would react - at the end of the year the money has to be the same or like you say, might as well go contract. Cheers