Whats Fair For A Wrench?

[Hazy]

I agree with you BH. My field rate is going up next season, especially because of the multiple machine jobs. Shop rate is between 50 and 75 /hour now +per diems+expenses depending on the scenario. Hazeus

[Bell Hell]

My field rate is going up next season, especially because of the multiple machine jobs.

 

Yeah, day rate is not the big thing for me; I'd like to see the flight-hourly rate go up to reflect the hours of work that go into keeping them safely in the air. I also like to be employed in the winter when we've got no revenue, so the day rate has to be reasonable if the machines are going to get the TLC they need.

 

Earlier in the thread I read one guy who wanted a union. If the workplace goes union I go away; there's nothing that a union can do for me except bring in a lower standard. I'm a professional with specialized knowledge and not a labourer, and won't have anyone else bargain for me.

 

If you don't like the way you're treated at work, or you aren't getting the pay or benefits you'd like, then go away and find someone who'll treat you the way you want. If nobody'll meet your demands then either you're asking more than the market will bear or you're just not worth the money you're asking. Either way, I don't want to hear whinging about the bad pay in the same sentence as the demands to stay in the hangar and more time at home. Suck it up, you "new age engineers", the job was not built around your weekends off.

[Bell Hell]

I kinda killed that thread off.

 

Sorry if I offended.

[John Moore]

You are wrong. The job is built around the engineer's weekend off. This is 2007, not 1967. You will suffer the consequences if you fail to acknowledge this.

[Elvis]

1967...2007 whatever, Helicopter operations are a 7 days a week, always have been, always will be.

[Lunchbox]

Helicopter operations are a 7 days a week, always have been, always will be.

 

I agree (that's what aviation is about), however, I also don't think it's reasonable to expect engineers to be on call or 'available' 24/7 365 days a year. Some may want that, but there are things in life other than work, and there comes a time when scheduled time off is required to live a life. Moday to friday 9-5 is one extreme, and on call 24/7 is the other. There has to be a happy medium. It also depends on the type of work you're doing. If you're on field rotations, sure you can give'er for 3 or 4 weeks straight or whatever your rotation is, but you'll burn yourself out doing that on a base job. Vice-versa, 9-5 in the bush dosen't work either.

 

If my employer can't allow me to alternate at least every second weekend on a base, or to rotate me out of the field (as per the rotation schedule), then they are unable (or unwilling) to hire the required amount of personnel, and frankly that's not my problem.

[Guest graunch1]

The problem, I think, from a point of view based on the simple $$$ per hour is that base wages and top of the food chain wages have been stagnant for years.

The starting wages seemed to have gone up a bit (almost on par with fast food places) over the years but the Sr. Engineer wage for a person based strictly on 9-5 or working in the field, not counting any of the flight pay or signout pay or lead-hand type positions seems to have stalled for a number of years around $30-$40 per hour. This is the same throughout the fixed wing world as well. In the past 3 years, gas prices have doubled, housing prices in most of Canada but mainly out west have gone nuts and the day to day living costs go up almost daily.

 

Planning your budget on overtime or bush pay is very scary IMHO

[Hazy]

The problem, I think, from a point of view based on the simple $$$ per hour is that base wages and top of the food chain wages have been stagnant for years.

The starting wages seemed to have gone up a bit (almost on par with fast food places) over the years but the Sr. Engineer wage for a person based strictly on 9-5 or working in the field, not counting any of the flight pay or signout pay or lead-hand type positions seems to have stalled for a number of years around $30-$40 per hour. This is the same throughout the fixed wing world as well. In the past 3 years, gas prices have doubled, housing prices in most of Canada but mainly out west have gone nuts and the day to day living costs go up almost daily.

 

Planning your budget on overtime or bush pay is very scary IMHO

 

Well said. Hazeus

[212wrench]

Isn't it interesting how this all plays out. There are some really good points in the above posts but here's one we haven't touched on. Since aviation deals in American dollars costs of parts and new aircraft have dropped in Canada by approx. 40% over the last two years. Wonder if any of this will be passed on to employees as higher wages?

Man I just kill myself sometimes.

 

Have a great weekend and stay safe.

[Guest graunch1]

Isn't it interesting how this all plays out. There are some really good points in the above posts but here's one we haven't touched on. Since aviation deals in American dollars costs of parts and new aircraft have dropped in Canada by approx. 40% over the last two years. Wonder if any of this will be passed on to employees as higher wages?

Man I just kill myself sometimes.

 

Have a great weekend and stay safe.

 

They will just pay in US$$$$$ :shock: