Aero On the Upward Path
flungdung and inputshaft,
I think you both have it right. Remember that many pilots in Nigeria don't hold JAA licences, so the North Sea option is not there for them. However a number of Brit pilots in Bristow have managed to transfer back to the North Sea to command positions and a number of Australian pilots are now doing the same things and getting almost as much money even after tax deduction, but with a much better quality of life. Pilots are even returning to the much maligned Abu Dhabi Aviation, reversing the trend of recent years. The companies anyway, only have to pay the money, the tax is entirely the responsibility of the pilot, so why should the same company pay a much lower salary to pilots in one place than another for doing the same job? In Nigeria now, companies have to pay income tax for pilots, but in the North Sea they also have to pay the social security insurance (sorry I don't know the real name). What people out here are sick of is that they are not given any respect and as there are no recognised salary negotiation bodies, we just have to accept what we are told we are going to get. Bristow still has the same old management bunch at the top who are renowned for lack of communication with their pilots and threatening attitudes if they feel any of their unilateral decisions are questioned. The new team at the top has made no difference to this and statements like that quoted yesterday by Darrelsdregs from their senior directors don't inspire any confidence that things will improve. Aero has had huge problems recently, but now that all senior management of the company in Nigeria are Aero, not CHC matters rapidly seem to be improving. Their salaries are good and I expect many more national pilots to abandon Bristow for Aero as vacancies come up. With Nabil in charge in Port Harcourt things are being turned around. Fair play has been restored and we have a listening manager who is there listening to and talking to the staff most days after work. My guess is that most Bristow managers stay as far away as they possibly can from their staff. Well, they'll soon reap the seed they've sown.