Anyone worked or working for Qantas Ground Services?

[SPL-101]

Hey guys

I applied for QGS about 2 months ago. I passed the interview, backround checks and the medical. Now they emailed me saying I was successful in the recruitment process but they currently don't need anyone and will get back to me with an offer of employment as soon as there is an opening. I just read on their site that this can be between 3-6 months. WTF? I paid 300bux for the medical, and they'll get back to me in 3-6 months. :mad:

So I just wanted to ask if anyone here has worked or is working for them, do they really take that long with the offers or is it quicker? Also what's it like working for them, like the rosters and the general atmosphere of the place.

Cheers.

[knox]

"WTF? I paid 300bux for the medical, and they'll get back to me in 3-6 months. :mad:"

They probably sent that to 1000 applicants. Good wee money maker. ;)

Knox.

[Jethro Gibbs]

Let me Guess it was there Doctor as well as I have said before DO NOT PAY for a JOB.

[YPJT]

I find it reprehensible that you would have to pay for your own medical to apply for a job. Especially if it is with an company the sizie of Qantas.
When we employ staff we go through the selection process first and then if suitable, send them for a medical at the end of it which we pay for.

[LexAir]

Check with your accountant but that $300 may be tax deductable if you can provide evidence that it was a necessary pre-requisite expense to secure the job.

[Worrals in the wilds]

Remember when Impulse used to make applicants pay a $25 application fee to send in a CV, which they just used to bin anyway? :yuk:
IME, decent companies pay for pree employment medicals, but it's been a long time since Qantas could be called a decent company from an HR perspective.

[YPJT]

exactly Warrals :ok:
makes me proud of the outfit I work for.

[Jethro Gibbs]

Have a look at the web site the whole thing is a debacle its never been finished this company is a joke Qantas Ground Services (http://www.qgs.net.au/index.htm) :mad:

[Checkboard]

Many years ago, I had interviews for both Qantas and Ansett. Qantas sent me a bill for the dental x-ray (about $160 from memory). I sent the bill back to them, with a polite note to stick it up their arse, and happily joined Ansett.

7 years later, when Ansett collapsed, I sent a resume to Qantas, and received a one line reply.

"Further to your last communication, we shall not be offering you an interview."

... so there is obviously a big red "NOT TO BE EMPLOYED" stamp on my Qantas file :rolleyes:

Check with your accountant but that $300 may be tax deductable if you can provide evidence that it was a necessary pre-requisite expense to secure the job.
Nope - items are only tax deductible if they are expenses required in the course of carrying out your business. Costs required to qualify or gain a position don't qualify.

[spriteah]

Checkboard what a great story......

Who says they dont read their mail!!!!!

jt

[Checkboard]

It wasn't that great when I was unemployed, and reading that letter, I can tell you! :uhoh:

[Pita17]

Hi there , someone help me out , I applied for a job with qgs sydney in November 2012 , my application was successful , now waiting for a offer , how long did it take for a offer ? And was the $300 for the medical test tax deductible ?

[SeldomFixit]

Given all that was writ above your post PITA, I suspect I know why you don't have a gurnsey :ugh:

[Pita17]

Well thanks a lot for your help :P , anybody else want to help me out with how long it took to receive an offer ?

[aviones]

Hi there , someone help me out , I applied for a job with qgs sydney in November 2012 , my application was successful , now waiting for a offer , how long did it take for a offer ? And was the $300 for the medical test tax deductible ?

Unfortunately you can't claim costs to get a job. (ie any cost incurred before you are actually employed)

[deville84]

hi mate, i applied for a job at QGS sydney around mid june last year, i received an email with in 4 days saying i've made it to interviews in mid july where they told me it could be a few months until i start, but because of my experience at the airport they had me start with in 2 weeks.

the manager was calling me every few days to see if i could start early. having been there for almost 5 months now i can tell you RUN! the pay is horrible and they don't really seem to care about their employee's too much.

I'd say apply to aero-care they are the best payed at sydney airport and you can pretty much do any job you want.

I was a pushback driver, FMC operator, Receive and dispatcher of planes, leading hand, bag room master bag room master trainer and almost became a supervisor.

[safari99]

Hi Guys ,

I was working at QGS, and I hated it........... Pay is outrages low, Baserate 19 $ something, plus a little bit of penalty for early shifts ( not even worth it), then 50% for saturdays and 100% for Sundays, if I remember it right. Public Holidays is good, but how many can you make ??

You will end up with around 600 - 700 bux a week, pay out fortnightly, after a payrun which takes almost another week till you get it...

You might say, lets make another job on the side for a little extra money, but forget it, cos your shifts are changing all the time, you can't simply be reliable for another job, unless your Dad has a company and doesn't mind you as an unreliable labourer.......Rosters can change all the time..... you have to check them constantly. If they put you on the 2 weeks arvo shift, simply reduce your pay of 200 bux a week......some are 4 weeks on the arvo...happy life !!


Work conditions and treatment of labourers :

This is the worst chapter. You will always start at the MHU , Mail Handling Unit or as we called it : Mental Health Unit ......:} Basically you work for Australia Post, because everything you do is loading / unloading and scanning of Mailbags and boxes everyday, 5 days a week, and so on.... many many months, till u maybe finally get to the level where they will let you onto the tarmac.......


Bootcamp style !!! Yelling, complaining, accusing , it all comes over you !! Everyday !! Again and again and again........ if the leading hands don't like You , haaard live !!!! Constant blame comes over you, even if you didn't do anything wrong. Swearing, tricking , bullying ........

The equipment : all down, old , just working, rusty, leaking forks....etc...... safety..?

Safety measures : either non existent or only on the paper...... Happy Qantas !!

If you want to report an incident to the leading hands, "AHH SHUT UP !!" thats what you get there..

Once you get out on the tarmac , after months / years maybe, it gets better . But still, you will never be full-time , only permanent part time with a guarantee of 25 hrs. per week.
Can anybody live with that pay ??

Thats the "Spirit of Australia !" What a shame...

Still want to work here ????
Cheers !!

[Squawk7700]

Check with your accountant but that $300 may be tax deductable if you can provide evidence that it was a necessary pre-requisite expense to secure the job.


Even if you could actually claim this, if you were unemployed and had a low taxable income or no income, you would get a benefit of $0.

[Centaurus]

You will end up with around 600 - 700 bux a week

What currency is "Bux?" And how many Bux to the Aussie Dollar? :confused:

[Buster Hyman]

I had a similar experience to Checkboard, albeit less eloquent and with Jitstar. Got through interview before I was told the salary, which was less than half of the old AN pay for the same role, so I withdrew my application.

Never been invited back. Glad though, if their HR are that petulant, God help the staff!

[Username here]

This relates to professional pilots how?

[Buster Hyman]

Easy. Without ground crew, the Pilots load the planes themselves.

[Typhoon650]

I wouldn't get too upset. If Qantas's trial of subcontracting cabin cleaning at CBR was successful, I'm sure eventually ground handling will be subbed out, meaning no QF ground handling.

[RcAviationZulu]

Hi guys, sorry to be bringing up an old thread, but i have the 3hr assessment booked in tmrw 21/04/2016, would i still have to pay that $300 for the medical? I already have a medical certificate II and an ASIC as I am currently a recreational pilot and working my way to a PPL. I am also 17 of age but the job listing did not specify that i had to be over 18. But i know other airlines such as virgin australia state that i needed to be over 18. What do you guys reckon? would appreciate the help thanks :)

[rammel]

My experience on the ramp was a number of years ago, but I still know plenty of people who work on the ramp.

The way things are done these days, just assume that you have to pay for everything. This seems to be the way of the future. The medical is not an aviation medical as such, but to see if you have any pre existing injuries which may be exasperated by working in ground services, especially back, shoulders and knees. It is also to get a base line of what your hearing is like as it is a workplace with a lot of noise, even with hearing protection. Basically the medical is protecting QF from claims down the track.

In regards to the ASIC, ask someone when you have a chance as I don't know if it has to be issued by QF or not.

As to only being 17, I'm not sure. A lot of ground services jobs require you to drive. So depending on what age you can gain a licence 17 may be ok. Also sometimes they specify about being able to drive a manual.

As to working for QGS, I wouldn't do it. The main reason is that they are very demanding of your availability and the hours don't really suit trying to fit another job or study in around them. Also money... From what I have been told it is a flat rate, so no penalty rates for late nights, weekends etc.(check the TWU award about this). Then there is the management, where the attitude is if you don't like it you're welcome to leave. Not one of these things on there own may make you not like the place, but at some time it will be a combination of these factors. Where there never used to be much of a turnover in this role, there is now.

Having said all that, working on the ramp was one of the best jobs I had. At the time I was there there was a great group of guys that you were working with and there wasn't too many dull moments. I moved on because I knew it wasn't going to be a job that I could do until retirement, because eventually you will get some sort of injury.

Good luck with the job if it appeals to you, but like a lot of things it's not like it used to be. But if you're aiming to be a pilot it does give you a great understanding of what goes into each flights arrival and departure.

[Squawk7700]

$300 and 3-4months isn't much in the scheme of things. A family friend is attempting to join the state Police; they have hit around $1,000 thus far and almost 2 years wait with no guarantee of any form of employment.

[Jay Bo]

U will need a QF asic. But that is done in house and you don't have to pay.
You do get penalty rates however most overtime goes to the old Qantas workers first before flowing down to QGS
Good thing is that once you are working within qantas there is more opportunity job wise transferring out of QGS into Qantas which is encouraged.
Being successful at an interview for the various positions well that's another topic within itself.