Hello, perhaps some experiences shared may help some of you with your wage issues. Having worked in an engineering trade for some 10 years, in government and private sectors, before becoming a pilot. I have found that all employers wish to own your skills for as little as possible. Government sectors have political issues to deal with so pay rates and entitlements are usually good and adhered to. However, private organisations who are signatories to the award still insist on trying to weasel out of paying entitlements.
Pilots ar not the odd ones out. We are just smaller in number and less visible to te rest of the country if entitlements are denied.
You have to make the decision to put everything on the line for what you believe in. If you are not prepared to do that, you should put up and shut up.
Most people who take on a shonky employer, (in any industry) lose their job or are harrassed into leaving.
Yes, this too is illegal. However none the less true.
It is possible to win against any shonky employer and gain your monetary entitlements back, however you usually need to start again, hopefully with a better employer.
I think it would be accurate to say that most employers fitting the category are in GA, have a high staff turnover, operate cross hired aircraft and are seasonal type operators (wet/dry season, tourism etc)
Most pilots employed in this situation, have been looking for next step up since day one and will not risk a year or two unemployed, for a couple of hundred or even thousand dollars.
I think that all employees in any field deserve an award and should have a union or association to back them up. However as individuals, we should have the rocks to stand for our rights if we believe in them.
This all may be all well and good, but there is a problem which is festering at a grass roots level in the aviation industry. New pilots are prepared to prostitute themselves and bring the entire GA industry standards lower.
Operators come and go in aviation, it is tough, but many should never have started in the first place, because they never had capital enough to undertake the enterprise in accordance with fair workplace practices or awards.
As each pilot who works for less moves on, they leave a legacy for the next one to equal. The employer then expects this from potential and current staff.
I believe that this problem partially begins at the flying school and then continues into the GA environment.
Most pilots I know from bugsmasher to 737, have mentioned stories of flying schools enhancing the realities of the industry in order to futher their own business. The rookie then walks out into the world with a debt of 40k plus looking for their first job. The flying school then tells them, its a bit tough right now, take what you can, even if the pay isn't good, until it gets better.(they will not say the industry isnt growing as rapidly as you were led to believe)
So the cycle continues. This is where aviation is completely different to other professions. Most(not all) budding pilots are given career advice/direction from other budding pilots(flying instructor) with no more idea than the student.
This does not happen for Drs, nurses, accountants, engineers etc.
The bottom line for all business is$$$ Flying schools have their goals to meet in the form of licences and ratings, which take a priority over industry realities and the students best interest. Industry conditions will be dictated by the lowest cost they can achieve.
I do not blame flying schools for the problem. The rookie and the operator ultimately determine the outcome, but many flying schools are definitely part of the problem.
Operators cannot pay below the awards if no one will work for them!! obvious isnt it?
Demand what you are entitled to, take any action neccessary to achieve this or don't work for that operator.
Alternatively follow the status quo, put up and shutup, be proud of the standards being set for the industry.