Bristow UK strike
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Originally Posted by [email protected]
Olster - I left in 2014, the year before the Bristow contract started, as the Sqn training officer on £72K (think Trg Capt, TRE/TRI).
The people transferring from Mil to Bristow went to circa £95K overnight in 2015. Until late 2022 when Liz Truss tanked the economy, inflation was 2% and it's now 3.2%.
The double digit inflation actually only lasted for 9 months or so but granted it was above 3% for a couple of years.
I believe the present SAR Capt's salary is a good bit north of £100K.
I get that the lack of pay rises over 8 years grates and is unfair but I didn't hear anyone complain about the money when they changed to Bristow.
That's not to say I don't support the actions of my ex-colleagues, the attitude of Bristow managements was in question before they even got the contract for UKSAR so some of my early concerns have been slightly vindicated.
My nephew is in the middle of a similar Balpa vs management battle over pay with a low cost airline so I have some sympathy with the Bristow crews.
The people transferring from Mil to Bristow went to circa £95K overnight in 2015. Until late 2022 when Liz Truss tanked the economy, inflation was 2% and it's now 3.2%.
The double digit inflation actually only lasted for 9 months or so but granted it was above 3% for a couple of years.
I believe the present SAR Capt's salary is a good bit north of £100K.
I get that the lack of pay rises over 8 years grates and is unfair but I didn't hear anyone complain about the money when they changed to Bristow.
That's not to say I don't support the actions of my ex-colleagues, the attitude of Bristow managements was in question before they even got the contract for UKSAR so some of my early concerns have been slightly vindicated.
My nephew is in the middle of a similar Balpa vs management battle over pay with a low cost airline so I have some sympathy with the Bristow crews.
Those who clearly came with a ‘can do’ attitude whilst considerably well intentioned, but often at odds with their longer serving extant civilian sar crew mates have only served to lay the ground for what is unfolding, as self serving management could establish the contract with bare bones as a result to satisfy cost savings desired and in planning before contract signature.
The initial lead of the UKSAR project was ever present for photo calls but quick to abandon all including extra curricular ties to a fellow member of the team in order to further their career stateside departing with a 7 digit bonus for claimed delivery. That after ordering an investigation into a crew where a casualty died during a tasking (such is life) but when corrected as having shown utter ignorance of the role and nature of the business unit being led proceeded to attempt to compensate by awarding the crew commendations for no valid reason. Not sure if the family of the deceased were informed but it was certainly in poor taste.
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Whilst agreeing with those on strike it would be worth adding for clarity that Bristow management and some lower to middle management in the U.K. and UKSAR folds are some of your former colleagues Crab and are in part responsible for some of the unfolding scenario. One threatening individual is known to be near the top having intimidated many en route much like the individual at CHC who was the effective scapegoat for SARH demise early 2011.
Those who clearly came with a ‘can do’ attitude whilst considerably well intentioned, but often at odds with their longer serving extant civilian sar crew mates have only served to lay the ground for what is unfolding, as self serving management could establish the contract with bare bones as a result to satisfy cost savings desired and in planning before contract signature.
The initial lead of the UKSAR project was ever present for photo calls but quick to abandon all including extra curricular ties to a fellow member of the team in order to further their career stateside departing with a 7 digit bonus for claimed delivery. That after ordering an investigation into a crew where a casualty died during a tasking (such is life) but when corrected as having shown utter ignorance of the role and nature of the business unit being led proceeded to attempt to compensate by awarding the crew commendations for no valid reason. Not sure if the family of the deceased were informed but it was certainly in poor taste.
Those who clearly came with a ‘can do’ attitude whilst considerably well intentioned, but often at odds with their longer serving extant civilian sar crew mates have only served to lay the ground for what is unfolding, as self serving management could establish the contract with bare bones as a result to satisfy cost savings desired and in planning before contract signature.
The initial lead of the UKSAR project was ever present for photo calls but quick to abandon all including extra curricular ties to a fellow member of the team in order to further their career stateside departing with a 7 digit bonus for claimed delivery. That after ordering an investigation into a crew where a casualty died during a tasking (such is life) but when corrected as having shown utter ignorance of the role and nature of the business unit being led proceeded to attempt to compensate by awarding the crew commendations for no valid reason. Not sure if the family of the deceased were informed but it was certainly in poor taste.
One young Officer commented about the return of service being much longer than the 6 years and no flying pay until 6 years post training (this was at the time when the training pipeline had gone real bad, 5-6 years to qualified/combat ready)
The 'head of training' responded to him and said, if you don't like it you can leave. The head of training was at the rank of
OF-5, probably still in receipt of flying pay and went through the flying system when it took about a year from start to finish!
Absolutely terrible to have someone like that in charge.
some facts
"Olster - I left in 2014, the year before the Bristow contract started, as the Sqn training officer on £72K (think Trg Capt, TRE/TRI).
The people transferring from Mil to Bristow went to circa £95K overnight in 2015."
"What, you mean what I and others did for £50K - £70K until privatisation?"
After no-jeopardy free flight training, non-contributory final salary pension, subsidised accommodation, free holidays sorry Adventurous Training, cheap beer etc.
"The double digit inflation actually only lasted for 9 months or so but granted it was above 3% for a couple of years."
Inflation for the years relevant to the current pay negotiations - eg. 2023 pay needs to reflect 2022 inflation to keep up as 2023 inflation was crystal ball stuff at the time of negotiation (source ONS):
CPI - 2022 7.9% - 2023 6.8%
RPI - 2022 11.6% - 2023 9.7%
"I believe the present SAR Capt's salary is a good bit north of £100K."
"Offshore, (and Bristow in particular) is one of the best paying jobs in the UK. Captains easily trouser £110k+ a year for about 180 days per year."
£98K-£127K for 182 days O&G, up to 192ish SAR (and they aren't 9-5, cover weekends and BH).
"I don't know you Olster, so I am judging you purely on what you've posted, but you come across as entitled. Also, if a company was that bad, I would just leave and work somewhere else - your skills are transferable and your market rebounding - why stay if its that bad? Surely CHC, NHV or whatever Babcock is now called, would hoover you up?"
Pride and commitment to keeping a workplace they have dedicated time and professionalism to, and work alongside professionals they value, at the standard it has always been, and not let short term investor desires ruin it. Not letting another card fall in the race to the bottom to the detriment of their fellow aviation professionals. Valuing their skills and experience enough to not let a new employer attribute an arbitrary value to that.
"Not sure I have ever heard 110K described as derisory - particularly as for many, its a part time job."
Derisory is not accurate, but then neither is part time.
"Seems dumb to let yourself be dragged into the public view and not settling quietly when you are expanding and looking for more SAR contracts.
Strikes are usually an absolute last-ditch course of action so I can't think it was taken lightly by the SAR boys and girls, it doesn't sit well with their ethos. But if the management try to play hard ball then everyone loses."
Your second sentence explains why the first sentence became necessary (not the dumb bit).
It's just business, it's a market. Bristow is the customer and the crews are the product. Bristow will use any legal mechanism it has to achieve the compensation level its investors desire. It is right for the crews to use any legal mechanism they have to achieve compensation commensurate with their skills and experience.
The people transferring from Mil to Bristow went to circa £95K overnight in 2015."
"What, you mean what I and others did for £50K - £70K until privatisation?"
After no-jeopardy free flight training, non-contributory final salary pension, subsidised accommodation, free holidays sorry Adventurous Training, cheap beer etc.
"The double digit inflation actually only lasted for 9 months or so but granted it was above 3% for a couple of years."
Inflation for the years relevant to the current pay negotiations - eg. 2023 pay needs to reflect 2022 inflation to keep up as 2023 inflation was crystal ball stuff at the time of negotiation (source ONS):
CPI - 2022 7.9% - 2023 6.8%
RPI - 2022 11.6% - 2023 9.7%
"I believe the present SAR Capt's salary is a good bit north of £100K."
"Offshore, (and Bristow in particular) is one of the best paying jobs in the UK. Captains easily trouser £110k+ a year for about 180 days per year."
£98K-£127K for 182 days O&G, up to 192ish SAR (and they aren't 9-5, cover weekends and BH).
"I don't know you Olster, so I am judging you purely on what you've posted, but you come across as entitled. Also, if a company was that bad, I would just leave and work somewhere else - your skills are transferable and your market rebounding - why stay if its that bad? Surely CHC, NHV or whatever Babcock is now called, would hoover you up?"
Pride and commitment to keeping a workplace they have dedicated time and professionalism to, and work alongside professionals they value, at the standard it has always been, and not let short term investor desires ruin it. Not letting another card fall in the race to the bottom to the detriment of their fellow aviation professionals. Valuing their skills and experience enough to not let a new employer attribute an arbitrary value to that.
"Not sure I have ever heard 110K described as derisory - particularly as for many, its a part time job."
Derisory is not accurate, but then neither is part time.
"Seems dumb to let yourself be dragged into the public view and not settling quietly when you are expanding and looking for more SAR contracts.
Strikes are usually an absolute last-ditch course of action so I can't think it was taken lightly by the SAR boys and girls, it doesn't sit well with their ethos. But if the management try to play hard ball then everyone loses."
Your second sentence explains why the first sentence became necessary (not the dumb bit).
It's just business, it's a market. Bristow is the customer and the crews are the product. Bristow will use any legal mechanism it has to achieve the compensation level its investors desire. It is right for the crews to use any legal mechanism they have to achieve compensation commensurate with their skills and experience.
Last edited by tipsock; 9th May 2024 at 08:35.
Where do you get £1.9 from Jim?
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g...rch-and-rescue
The MCA has it at £1.6
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g...rch-and-rescue
The MCA has it at £1.6
Large sections of the published contract, including a lot of financials, are redacted.
There may well have been some playing around with aspects of the contact after July 2022. That's the thing about entering into a "non-prescriptive" contract: you might suddenly realise what you've signed up to and have to fix it! (Been there, as Mr Fix-it, on a far smaller scale of government contract.
)However, if it really was £1.6bn (again) then they'd really have to be fighting for every penny.
"Olster - I left in 2014, the year before the Bristow contract started, as the Sqn training officer on £72K (think Trg Capt, TRE/TRI).
The people transferring from Mil to Bristow went to circa £95K overnight in 2015."
"What, you mean what I and others did for £50K - £70K until privatisation?"
After no-jeopardy free flight training, non-contributory final salary pension, subsidised accommodation, free holidays sorry Adventurous Training, cheap beer etc.
"The double digit inflation actually only lasted for 9 months or so but granted it was above 3% for a couple of years."
Inflation for the years relevant to the current pay negotiations - eg. 2023 pay needs to reflect 2022 inflation to keep up as 2023 inflation was crystal ball stuff at the time of negotiation (source ONS):
CPI - 2022 7.9% - 2023 6.8%
RPI - 2022 11.6% - 2023 9.7%
"I believe the present SAR Capt's salary is a good bit north of £100K."
"Offshore, (and Bristow in particular) is one of the best paying jobs in the UK. Captains easily trouser £110k+ a year for about 180 days per year."
£98K-£127K for 182 days O&G, up to 192ish SAR (and they aren't 9-5, cover weekends and BH).
"No one hiring 92 drivers, infact i think no ns operators hiring"
OHS, NHV and CHC actively recruiting and willing to TR.
"I don't know you Olster, so I am judging you purely on what you've posted, but you come across as entitled. Also, if a company was that bad, I would just leave and work somewhere else - your skills are transferable and your market rebounding - why stay if its that bad? Surely CHC, NHV or whatever Babcock is now called, would hoover you up?"
Pride and commitment to keeping a workplace they have dedicated time and professionalism to, and work alongside professionals they value, at the standard it has always been, and not let short term investor desires ruin it. Not letting another card fall in the race to the bottom to the detriment of their fellow aviation professionals. Valuing their skills and experience enough to not let a new employer attribute an arbitrary value to that.
"Not sure I have ever heard 110K described as derisory - particularly as for many, its a part time job."
Derisory is not accurate, but then neither is part time.
"Seems dumb to let yourself be dragged into the public view and not settling quietly when you are expanding and looking for more SAR contracts.
Strikes are usually an absolute last-ditch course of action so I can't think it was taken lightly by the SAR boys and girls, it doesn't sit well with their ethos. But if the management try to play hard ball then everyone loses."
Your second sentence explains why the first sentence became necessary (not the dumb bit).
It's just business, it's a market. Bristow is the customer and the crews are the product. Bristow will use any legal mechanism it has to achieve the compensation level its investors desire. It is right for the crews to use any legal mechanism they have to achieve compensation commensurate with their skills and experience.
The people transferring from Mil to Bristow went to circa £95K overnight in 2015."
"What, you mean what I and others did for £50K - £70K until privatisation?"
After no-jeopardy free flight training, non-contributory final salary pension, subsidised accommodation, free holidays sorry Adventurous Training, cheap beer etc.
"The double digit inflation actually only lasted for 9 months or so but granted it was above 3% for a couple of years."
Inflation for the years relevant to the current pay negotiations - eg. 2023 pay needs to reflect 2022 inflation to keep up as 2023 inflation was crystal ball stuff at the time of negotiation (source ONS):
CPI - 2022 7.9% - 2023 6.8%
RPI - 2022 11.6% - 2023 9.7%
"I believe the present SAR Capt's salary is a good bit north of £100K."
"Offshore, (and Bristow in particular) is one of the best paying jobs in the UK. Captains easily trouser £110k+ a year for about 180 days per year."
£98K-£127K for 182 days O&G, up to 192ish SAR (and they aren't 9-5, cover weekends and BH).
"No one hiring 92 drivers, infact i think no ns operators hiring"
OHS, NHV and CHC actively recruiting and willing to TR.
"I don't know you Olster, so I am judging you purely on what you've posted, but you come across as entitled. Also, if a company was that bad, I would just leave and work somewhere else - your skills are transferable and your market rebounding - why stay if its that bad? Surely CHC, NHV or whatever Babcock is now called, would hoover you up?"
Pride and commitment to keeping a workplace they have dedicated time and professionalism to, and work alongside professionals they value, at the standard it has always been, and not let short term investor desires ruin it. Not letting another card fall in the race to the bottom to the detriment of their fellow aviation professionals. Valuing their skills and experience enough to not let a new employer attribute an arbitrary value to that.
"Not sure I have ever heard 110K described as derisory - particularly as for many, its a part time job."
Derisory is not accurate, but then neither is part time.
"Seems dumb to let yourself be dragged into the public view and not settling quietly when you are expanding and looking for more SAR contracts.
Strikes are usually an absolute last-ditch course of action so I can't think it was taken lightly by the SAR boys and girls, it doesn't sit well with their ethos. But if the management try to play hard ball then everyone loses."
Your second sentence explains why the first sentence became necessary (not the dumb bit).
It's just business, it's a market. Bristow is the customer and the crews are the product. Bristow will use any legal mechanism it has to achieve the compensation level its investors desire. It is right for the crews to use any legal mechanism they have to achieve compensation commensurate with their skills and experience.
Helicrazi, I was given a bum steer on this so thank you for highlighting. I've edited my post for clarity, and add that as well as your point of there not being seats to easily transfer to, withholding labour by leaving a company is just as disruptive to Bristow as striking even if some think it's more morally acceptable!
After no-jeopardy free flight training, non-contributory final salary pension, subsidised accommodation, free holidays sorry Adventurous Training, cheap beer etc.
How many were chopped from your intake for training? No jeopardy flight training? Hahahahahahahah. How many died within 5 years of training due to the harsh environments they were flying in?
Did you get to serve in war zones after your PPL/CPL/ATPL?
Subsidised accommodation? Have you seen the state of military married quarters?
Non-contributory final salary pension - our salaries were kept well below market levels enjoyed by civvy flying exactly to fund those pensions so whilst technically non-contributory (not on your pay statement) in actuality we have paid for those pensions.
Free holidays? yes, adventure training was a thing and some got far more of it than others - normally operational aircrew didn't get to go since they had to maintain operational strength/UK standbys/detachments etc etc. The point of it was to give experiences to improve leadership but often it was a welcome break from the front-line. Apart from a few weeks skiing in the 90's I saw no adventure training at all.
Frankly if you did your training outside of the Military you had it very, very easy, even if you did have to pay for it.
We needed cheap beer to make up for our lack of spending power!
When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have.
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Crab,
but would you have paid £150,000 for your training, that's the question?
Your statement 'When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have', says it all. It couldn't have been that bad if you did 30 years and perhaps a better option than coming out and working commercially!
but would you have paid £150,000 for your training, that's the question?
Your statement 'When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have', says it all. It couldn't have been that bad if you did 30 years and perhaps a better option than coming out and working commercially!
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Tech Crew
Strange that no one's mentioned the tech crew wages in this thread given they make up 50% of the SAR crew and are often the most experienced members of the crew. If
any one would like to hazard a guess of the average wage of a Bristow Winch Operator and Winchman Paramedic . A clue , it's far less than train driver and many an experienced road Paramedic.
any one would like to hazard a guess of the average wage of a Bristow Winch Operator and Winchman Paramedic . A clue , it's far less than train driver and many an experienced road Paramedic.
Originally Posted by [email protected]
I suggest you actually talk to people who went through military training and service before making ignorant statements like that.
How many were chopped from your intake for training? No jeopardy flight training? Hahahahahahahah. How many died within 5 years of training due to the harsh environments they were flying in?
Did you get to serve in war zones after your PPL/CPL/ATPL?
Subsidised accommodation? Have you seen the state of military married quarters?
Non-contributory final salary pension - our salaries were kept well below market levels enjoyed by civvy flying exactly to fund those pensions so whilst technically non-contributory (not on your pay statement) in actuality we have paid for those pensions.
Free holidays? yes, adventure training was a thing and some got far more of it than others - normally operational aircrew didn't get to go since they had to maintain operational strength/UK standbys/detachments etc etc. The point of it was to give experiences to improve leadership but often it was a welcome break from the front-line. Apart from a few weeks skiing in the 90's I saw no adventure training at all.
Frankly if you did your training outside of the Military you had it very, very easy, even if you did have to pay for it.
We needed cheap beer to make up for our lack of spending power!
When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have.
How many were chopped from your intake for training? No jeopardy flight training? Hahahahahahahah. How many died within 5 years of training due to the harsh environments they were flying in?
Did you get to serve in war zones after your PPL/CPL/ATPL?
Subsidised accommodation? Have you seen the state of military married quarters?
Non-contributory final salary pension - our salaries were kept well below market levels enjoyed by civvy flying exactly to fund those pensions so whilst technically non-contributory (not on your pay statement) in actuality we have paid for those pensions.
Free holidays? yes, adventure training was a thing and some got far more of it than others - normally operational aircrew didn't get to go since they had to maintain operational strength/UK standbys/detachments etc etc. The point of it was to give experiences to improve leadership but often it was a welcome break from the front-line. Apart from a few weeks skiing in the 90's I saw no adventure training at all.
Frankly if you did your training outside of the Military you had it very, very easy, even if you did have to pay for it.
We needed cheap beer to make up for our lack of spending power!
When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have.
Strange that no one's mentioned the tech crew wages in this thread given they make up 50% of the SAR crew and are often the most experienced members of the crew. If
any one would like to hazard a guess of the average wage of a Bristow Winch Operator and Winchman Paramedic . A clue , it's far less than train driver and many an experienced road Paramedic.
any one would like to hazard a guess of the average wage of a Bristow Winch Operator and Winchman Paramedic . A clue , it's far less than train driver and many an experienced road Paramedic.
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Crab,
but would you have paid £150,000 for your training, that's the question?
Your statement 'When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have', says it all. It couldn't have been that bad if you did 30 years and perhaps a better option than coming out and working commercially!
but would you have paid £150,000 for your training, that's the question?
Your statement 'When you have given 30 plus years to serve your country rather than serve yourself you can criticise those who have', says it all. It couldn't have been that bad if you did 30 years and perhaps a better option than coming out and working commercially!
The experience, challenges, rewards (not financial) and the camaraderie are what keeps people in when they could earn better money outside. If you haven't done it, you won't understand.
Allotmenteer - as Jimf671 has mentioned - he and I have championed the rearcrew and the crappy deal they got from UKSAR regularly on these pages.
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Strange that no one's mentioned the tech crew wages in this thread given they make up 50% of the SAR crew and are often the most experienced members of the crew. If
any one would like to hazard a guess of the average wage of a Bristow Winch Operator and Winchman Paramedic . A clue , it's far less than train driver and many an experienced road Paramedic.
any one would like to hazard a guess of the average wage of a Bristow Winch Operator and Winchman Paramedic . A clue , it's far less than train driver and many an experienced road Paramedic.
Indicative salaries
Crab and I have not been shy about raising this matter. In fact, upon meeting Sam Willenbacher (Bristow SAR Director back at the start, now Senior Vice President, Key Accounts, in Houston) at an early engagement meeting in Inverness (2014?), my first question was, "Do you think you're paying your rear-crew enough?" That question was repeated at an event some months later.
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Crab, you didn’t answer my question.
I have no doubt the crown would have paid ten times the amount to train you but would you pay £150,000 to get a licence, not a job but just a licence?
And yes, I have done it and so yes, do get the military thing.
I have no doubt the crown would have paid ten times the amount to train you but would you pay £150,000 to get a licence, not a job but just a licence?
And yes, I have done it and so yes, do get the military thing.
If I had the flying bug at an early age and could work to do it then yes, I would have paid it. I know plenty that have.
It's not easy but nor is joining the military - which olster seemed to think was a gravy train by comparison.
I fell into flying almost by accident, not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. By chance I found something I was pretty good at and loved once I got off FW and onto helicopters.
It's not easy but nor is joining the military - which olster seemed to think was a gravy train by comparison.
I fell into flying almost by accident, not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. By chance I found something I was pretty good at and loved once I got off FW and onto helicopters.
Thread Starter
I never said at any stage that joining the military was a gravy train. Far from it. Read my posts and do not misquote me. Having also been called ‘entitled’ from someone I have never met on this thread I had decided not to post further. I do not work for Bristow but am close to someone who does. Essentially a ringside seat and I can tell you that your rotary colleagues are being treated in an appalling and unfair fashion by the Bristow management. I was trying to garner support for a group that almost overwhelmingly voted for strike action which should tell you something. I would have thought that in the Rotorhead section of pprune there could be mature dialogue without personal jibes but I am not really surprised. I will finally say, good luck to the Bristow crews. Crab, I have had many military and civil colleagues and friends over the years. They were also ‘pretty good’. The most admirable were those with humility as well. I will not be responding further.
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Originally Posted by [email protected]
If I had the flying bug at an early age and could work to do it then yes, I would have paid it. I know plenty that have.
It's not easy but nor is joining the military - which olster seemed to think was a gravy train by comparison.
I fell into flying almost by accident, not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. By chance I found something I was pretty good at and loved once I got off FW and onto helicopters.
It's not easy but nor is joining the military - which olster seemed to think was a gravy train by comparison.
I fell into flying almost by accident, not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. By chance I found something I was pretty good at and loved once I got off FW and onto helicopters.
I understand what you are saying when you say 'entitled', but that also extends to some military pilots that I have had the pleasure of knowing or flying with over the years.
I am not sure whether you would have spent £150,000 of your own or borrowed money on your training and seeing as you fell into flying by accident, you can probably understand why to you some people seem entitled with such a statement.
Either way, I know what you are saying.
One last thing. Don't forget a number of your ex RAF colleagues have and will be part of the strikes. It could have been you if you got a job with Bristow.
Good luck to all those that have the balls to do it.
Just so that everyone is aware, this is probably the worst employee/management relations that has been seen in over 30 years. There has been quite the cultural shift at Bristow in the last 2 years and it’s certainly not for the better!
let’s not be getting into this military vs civvie debate, it’s by the by. What should be being discussed is the blatant undermining and resetting of employee T&C. This is the tip of the iceberg with aircrew being first up on the ERA/Bristow chopping board. Engineering is next and then all the support staff.
It’s worth noting that this has been ongoing for over a year now. BALPA have been very patient with managements dither and delay tactics. We’ve moved from “any pay rise must be self funded” to the exceptionally underhand tactic of offer a half baked pay rise in negotiation and then slip in non negotiated erasing of all previous union agreements/T&C.
We must remember that this situation has come around off the back of years of no or minimal rises. The years of pleading from Bristow of financial difficulty, pausing of seniority rises and agreement from the workforce to assist with the company’s very survival with no pay rises.
We now have a picture where the company are doing well financially. They’re winning Govt Services work and ticking over in O&G. All of these contracts have escalators, do you think these are being passed onto the coal face?.. I know where individuals are getting hefty rises and bonuses and it’s not those who are approaching moving decks at night with 19 bods in the back, those hanging on the end of a wire next to a vessel or those trying to pick their way into mountains at night on NVG.
So let’s break down the truth vs what’s being offered up now into the press by the leaders.
*For ref
21/22 inflation= 4.1%. Company rise = 2.5%
22/23 inflation= 11.6%. Company rise = 3%
*Current offer
23/24 inflation=9.7%. Offer 5k non pensionable
24/25 inflation=2.4% projected. Offer 12%
25/26 Inflation=??. Offer 2%
Behind inflation but on the face of it ok. Here’s what was slipped in without mention:
All transition allowances - scrapped.
All detachment pay - scrapped.
All deputy chief pilots/crewman pay - scrapped.
Increments reset to Jan but to the disadvantage of all aircrew.
All those who work O&G at Sumburgh to pay for own accomodation and transport while there.
All previous union agreements = scrapped
This is purely an example amongst many more that the company included in the official offer that was never discussed with the union.
All of this is amongst a picture of utter disarray of aircraft and training. We’ve been told by a Houston director that we’re in the era of “having to do more with less”. I will simply ask those who are interested to have a look at the remuneration of the Bristow directors and their self allocated increases in the openly available financial releases.
Food for thought…
let’s not be getting into this military vs civvie debate, it’s by the by. What should be being discussed is the blatant undermining and resetting of employee T&C. This is the tip of the iceberg with aircrew being first up on the ERA/Bristow chopping board. Engineering is next and then all the support staff.
It’s worth noting that this has been ongoing for over a year now. BALPA have been very patient with managements dither and delay tactics. We’ve moved from “any pay rise must be self funded” to the exceptionally underhand tactic of offer a half baked pay rise in negotiation and then slip in non negotiated erasing of all previous union agreements/T&C.
We must remember that this situation has come around off the back of years of no or minimal rises. The years of pleading from Bristow of financial difficulty, pausing of seniority rises and agreement from the workforce to assist with the company’s very survival with no pay rises.
We now have a picture where the company are doing well financially. They’re winning Govt Services work and ticking over in O&G. All of these contracts have escalators, do you think these are being passed onto the coal face?.. I know where individuals are getting hefty rises and bonuses and it’s not those who are approaching moving decks at night with 19 bods in the back, those hanging on the end of a wire next to a vessel or those trying to pick their way into mountains at night on NVG.
So let’s break down the truth vs what’s being offered up now into the press by the leaders.
*For ref
21/22 inflation= 4.1%. Company rise = 2.5%
22/23 inflation= 11.6%. Company rise = 3%
*Current offer
23/24 inflation=9.7%. Offer 5k non pensionable
24/25 inflation=2.4% projected. Offer 12%
25/26 Inflation=??. Offer 2%
Behind inflation but on the face of it ok. Here’s what was slipped in without mention:
All transition allowances - scrapped.
All detachment pay - scrapped.
All deputy chief pilots/crewman pay - scrapped.
Increments reset to Jan but to the disadvantage of all aircrew.
All those who work O&G at Sumburgh to pay for own accomodation and transport while there.
All previous union agreements = scrapped
This is purely an example amongst many more that the company included in the official offer that was never discussed with the union.
All of this is amongst a picture of utter disarray of aircraft and training. We’ve been told by a Houston director that we’re in the era of “having to do more with less”. I will simply ask those who are interested to have a look at the remuneration of the Bristow directors and their self allocated increases in the openly available financial releases.
Food for thought…
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I don't know about the ERA thing that is mentioned.....but it sure smacks of a GOM thang of old.
That was a far more bitter battle than ever experienced in the UK helicopter industry.
Reach out to the veterans of the union fights in the United States Gulf of Mexico Oil/Gas and EMS unionization wars and you might find some useful insight to the current thinking from CO HQ's.
They finally succeeded but it was like pulling hind teeth.
When they finally did reach an accommodation some of the terms in the contract did not weather well.
That was a far more bitter battle than ever experienced in the UK helicopter industry.
Reach out to the veterans of the union fights in the United States Gulf of Mexico Oil/Gas and EMS unionization wars and you might find some useful insight to the current thinking from CO HQ's.
They finally succeeded but it was like pulling hind teeth.
When they finally did reach an accommodation some of the terms in the contract did not weather well.