Tall lion
Thats the spirit. As long as you go in with your eyes as wide open as possible, and utilising this type of forum can help, but despite some of the drivel there is some great information as well.
Burj is quite right, most if not all of the accommodation is unacceptable and the cost of living here is and has been rising rapidly for a long time. This is NOT the place to come and make good money and have the lifesyle as well.
We have anal managers here (in fact on most Serco contracts and in most facilities around the world) and I would go far as to say the supervisors as well..(they are not to be trusted and will run to the manager/CATCO and spill their guts, because this is what they are told to do). The ACC contract manager is basically mercenary and only looking after his own skin....to some extent you cant blame him but shafting and intimidating your fellow workers well that is anther story and is unacceptable behaviour. The same for the has-been CATCO, who I dare say has reached his level of incompetence.
The sad truth is that with the locals attemtping to go direct may seem to offer more but in reality once the other "costs" are factored in there is not much difference to the what is reality now, unless you are single
I reiterate that to really attract the best of the bunch they will need to be paying 35,000dhs/ mth + villa accommodation + medical + schooling for kids @ AKS, plus a decent gratuity + 56 days leave and airfares + hire sufficient staff (especially with the new sectors), I figure that around min 36 - 40 would do the job. I can tell you one thing Serco does not want to see a massive increase in UAE ACC salaries as this will really put them under pressure on the other contracts and their staff (incl Bahrain) will most likely riot. The Omanis have reiterated to me that they will only pay the going rate the other gulf states are paying, so once they see this going up this will put pressure on them to put their hand in their pockets. The same will go for Dohar and the poor mans contract on the east coast.
Devise a new roster (this is most important for Safety/risk management - oops forgot Serco and GCAA dont know what safety & risk management is....well gents you better learn quick smart) so that the midnight shifts are the shortest (maybe 6 hrs) as this is also the busiest of the shifts while we are at our lowest ebb (tired).
This will ensure that the crews are relatively refreshed and can enjoy at least 9 days off per mth and the lifestyle that CAN be had here if given the opportunity.
Good luck in your search.
Cat, happy to see you are happy to live in a slum. I for one and I suspect most of the others (except for Seffricans maybe) are not as that is not part of the lifestyle equation - not being forced to live in rubbish accommodation with 3rd hand furniture and beds that have already gone 1,000 miles (with the stains to prove it) from previous couples (both straight and bent) coupling. I guess when you have crossed the sanity line (as said earlier) you cant really complain now can you!
Plus bucko you would have bucklies of getting your old job back at home and on comparable salary to your peers, please ... next joke
Cheeryarse.... what ferris brought up with you was a valid issue irrespective of you slanted view. What you are doing there is illegal by the CARs and downright dangerous and would not be tolerated or allowed in the western world and you know it, so dont try to twist the truth to back up your claim. Like I said you have reached your level of incompetence.
