Duty Days For Engineers

[helipinch]

If you did get credit for the actual time worked you would exceed the Labour acts 1926hrs worked in a year and the would have to pay you OT. Good luck on that one.

 

 

VIH pays OT to full time employees who work over 1926, the apprentices love it! Doubles their salary!!!!

 

As to duty days... I think it is a great idea but unrealistic and unenforceable.

[jetbox]

How is it that pilot duty days are enforceable but engineer's wouldn't be?

[helipinch]

That is a good question!.... when I think about it, I may be wrong.

It could be enforceable if we logged actual Hrs worked and Hrs at rest like a truck driver dose.

I guess when I think about it my fear is that it would be used by the employer for our time sheets!

If I spend 14 Hrs sitting in a truck in a gravel pit, I may only work on the A/C for 2 Hrs of that, but Ill be damned if I'm going to sit there for the other 12 Hrs for free!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lunchbox]

I already impose my own unofficial duty days. Pilots have 14 hr limits, and so do I. I've done enough 16 hour all-nighters to know it ain't smart, and at the end of the day isn't worth the risk. The pilots I work with agree, and don't want to fly in aircraft maintained by excessively over-worked engineers.

 

I remember from my ("officially required") human factors training that after 16 hours without sleep, the human mind is in the same state as if it had just drank two beers. I doubt that my employer would want me showing up to work and cracking two beers, so I don't work more than 14 hrs (the two extra hours are taken into account for waking up, eating, showering, commuting to work, etc). I also take one guarranteed day off per week. Mind you I work at a permanent base, so I can do this. I know that field work is different, and different standards are required.

 

My 14 hrs/day and 6 days/week limits is something I've only been experimenting with relatively recently, however, the base hasn't imploded yet so it seems that life does actually continue even with engineering duty limits. :shock:

 

I also get paid for any overtime worked beyond the 12 month averaged maximum. This year though, I will only be working a few weeks of overtime, and will take the rest at home. :up:

[helipinch]

I know that field work is different, and different standards are required.

 

Yes it is very different, which makes it more complicated to set up rules that need to apply to everyone. It will take a larger brain than mine!!!

 

BTW I have worked of a base and 14 Hrs there is like 20 in the feild, cause it's solid work!

[Lunchbox]

It doesn't matter because it won't be enforced anyways. It will be like claiming your actual hours worked. If you are full time and enter 14 to 15 hours a day, which you work in the field, the company will pay only for the 3 to 4 hours that you are actually wrenching. If you did get credit for the actual time worked you would exceed the Labour acts 1926hrs worked in a year and the would have to pay you OT. Good luck on that one.

That by the way is how one very respected company does it with their full time engineers.

 

My current employer is currently trying to deal with this as well. I think the compromise might fall where, if you're waiting on site all day then the hours count, but sitting in camp eating cookies and watching tv won't. Not saying I fully agree, but it may be a liveable compromise.

[212wrench]

So Lunchox, do police and fire get paid only when going on a call? If your in the camp and you get up to go to the john, trip, fall and break your arm would compensation pay you?

 

Your at work.

[darcor]

Could some one link me to Gov Canada site that points out this 1926hrs. As well as the other laws that pertain to AME's

I am courious as to if you have to work this amount in a year to be "full time".

As for the comments as to hours; I believe I am on call 24 7. When that Sat phone rings, it doesn't care what time it is or how much sleep I had.

 

Thanks

[skullcap]

Funny how this thread topic was about transport regulating duty days and hours and has turned into money and o/t.

 

I think that transport should have some input into duty days and hours and they can be regulated in the same manner as pilots, not that hard to set up and go ahead professionally. What those hours/days are is debatable since there are so many different jobs and scenarios but should be along the same lines as pilots I guess.

 

Far as pay and o/t, will let you all have at it, seems that you guys can't agree on much let alone pay, not sure how you expect the guys paying to get it right.

 

From what I remember about hours for year, it doesn't matter full time or contract hours for that individual are for that individual period. What is overlooked by the government is that contactors are not monitored much(yet), so if you work for company a for 1900 hours then work for company b expecting things to be fine you may find that that company(or your own company if you are a contractor) will be responsible for your overtime. Thus companies may not be so interested in hiring outside help once their fulltime staff are timed out but rather pay thier existing staff overtime. The hours which you work prior to o/t being paid are based upon number of years seniority with the "company" you work for. Oh by the way you can refuse to work overtime as well.

 

 

Now,,,how about trucks and drivers driving a vehicle over 4500 kg(Basically any pickup and larger) over a provincial border. As of Jan 07 all drivers must keep a log containing last 2 weeks worth of driving records, and stop at all scales and blah blah blah. And this apllies to all commercial vehicles unless on personal use(which there are limits to what is considered personal use). This is the most ridiculous rule out there, if I were to stay in alberta then could go up to 11,000 some odd KG before requiring to follow suit.

[lineworker]

This industry is very different in expectations of maintenance personnel than any other. Engineers are moved around without much thought to compensation outside of what is proportionate to the earnings the owners.

 

You wouldn't see a welder put in 14 hours and then take 8 home and use the rest as banked time. And it shouldn't exist here either. If you have skills needed to make the machine run, whether its as an oil producer or a helicopter mechanic, then supply and demand sets remuneration.

 

If Transport regulate hours worked before the remuneration has reached the value of the time and effort engineers put in, then they'll be getting it from both ends.

 

You may have a limited work day, and should have a limited work day, barring unforseen circumstances, but will they put a realistic set of rules to improve the conditions, or just put up another shady slideshow that benefits the insurance companies and makes it harder to make a living.

 

I hope that conditions improve, engineers raise their wages, and owners raise the rates unanimously.