MY mates tell me that Capts with Atlanta get $250 per day they work,but nothing if they are sick or on leave.They are 'contract' pilots..so they can walk away whenever they want,and can be let go whenever Atlanta want.They have no problems taking leave as long as Atlanta are short of crew.If there are too many..it might be a bit silly as there is a chance they can find themselves taking an extended leave until the next Hadj or a new contract turns up.Ground Engineers are also contracted in via ACE.
There are no unions,but individuals down the pub (mainly engineers)do belong to unions to get some protection if things go wrong.No one has ever told the guys that unions are verbotten.The Icelandics have a union with a name no one can spell but is known by the acronym GGG or LLL or something.It is more like a club for Icelandic pilots only and gives them privilages that the rest of the blokes can only dream about.The chaps reckonthat there will never be a union in Atlanta because nearly all the pilots and engineers who end up working for them have been so badly shafted in the past by union failings...Ansett ,Canada3000 etc..Also the blokes down the pub reckon that Atlanta pilots are so tight they would never be prepared to dip in their pockets to support a union!
None of them see a problem with ACE's registered office addresses in the Cook and Virgin Islands as long as the cheque arrives on time.To visit a company's registered offshore address expecting to see an employee is frankly naive.
I'm seeing them all for darts next Tuesday...all I can say is that for a company that gets such a poor press..they can't stop yacking about it...its a bit like Neighbours..you miss an episode or two..but can immediately pick up the story again when you see it next.The bit of excitement at the moment is tax....roll the credits!