The Education allowance is not a part of the contract but it IS in the Conditions Document. It was 100% of the cost up to a certain value when I joined. TCK issued a letter stating they thought it was important to "contribute" to your child's upbringing and the coverage was cut to 90%. They can do this because it's not in the contract. Only the bond is in the contract.
The housing deal is not a part of the contract but it IS in the Conditions Document. It was a three bedroom apartment for an FO without children. The reality many new-joiners have found AFTER they've sold up and moved to EK lately is it's two bedrooms for them and the wife and all their gear. They can do this because it's not in the contract. Only the bond is in the contract.
The utilities deal is not a part of the contract but it IS in the Conditions Document. It was previously covered 100% but not there's a cap. True, the cap surplus has not been charged as far as anyone knows but this is only due to the utterly SHAMBOLIC system DEWA runs. In their unseemly zeal for ripping people off, they have made it impossible to gain access to the bills. Even EK cannot tell who owes what and so we've not heard anymore about it. FOR NOW. When they sort it out, they will start charging the expats for their utilities; nothing could be more certain. Not ALL of them; only the ones who live in villas. Oh and not the management either. Just the pilots. They can do this because Utilities are not in the contract. Only the bond is in the contract.
The pay scales are not a part of the contract but were bundled to me with the Conditions Document. I signed that 10 page document but they did not. In fact they didn't care if I signed it. They can ignore my payscale schedule because it's not in the contract. Only the bond is in the contract.
Last year they did exactly that. No incremental increase despite their promise. Several years ago, we received payrises of around 10% (still well below the double-digit boom-town rate of local inflation) because they were desperate for pilots. Last year, when they were comfortable with pilot numbers, they erased those gains in one fell swoop by increasing the overtime threshold rate to the monthly maximum we can legally do over a 12 month period. They can do this because pay rates are not in the contract. Only the bond is in the contract.
Would you like more examples?
I suspect Mr. Wiz will say, "Well there you go. It wasn't in the contract so you cannot complain." True. I try not to complain here about non-existent breaches of contract but I do not like being LIED TO. But being LIED TO is something you must get used to at EK or pull your hair out in frustration. Conditions elsewhere might be similar but the LIES and the HATRED of pilots by management at EK eclipses anything I have ever seen or heard of anywhere else. Remember the Irish git? TCK? TCTC? TCAS's blatant LIES at last year's meetings? TCED's anti-pilot buffoonery?
MY CONTRACT HAS BEEN UPHELD. I SIGNED A CONTRACT BONDING MYSELF TO EK FOR THREE YEARS AND NOTHING MORE. IF I LEFT, I WOULD'VE BEEN FORCED TO PAY UP. THE BOND HAS EXPIRED. EK HONOURED MY "CONTRACT" BUT THEY HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING ELSE OF IMPORTANCE WHICH I THOUGHT I HAD IN A CONTRACT BUT IN FACT DID NOT.
By the way, something else important to the employee - LEAVE. Also not in the contract and they've fiddled with that too. Forced allocations of a few days here, a few there. No longer any credit for leave so you will still fly as much of a full month of flying as they can squeeze into the remaining days - minus the DAYS OFF - so that the only difference to any other month is 5 of your 42 days leave has been frittered away and they are happy! Aussies will no doubt soon get tired of jetting back to Australia for a 5 days break. It's just too far.
You get driven to work in a limousine. Well its an Audi car. The reason they pick you up is not because you are valued; it's so that you can be delivered to work approximately 55min before your duty commences. This is necessary as the crew bus to the aircraft leaves the HQ 10min before the duty actually commences (at 1hr before ETD). And the briefing ends 10min before THAT (ETD-20min) so you need all that extra off duty time to do your required briefings, talk to the crew, etc. or the flight would be late. Nearly an hour of off-duty time spent working every time you go to work - Illegal? Unethical? It's SOP at EK.
The best part is, although you're technically off-duty for the first 40-55 min of the work day and therefore not accruing Duty Time, you can and will still be Drug and/or Alcohol Tested and prosecuted if you fail!
Oh the weather..... temps in the 40s all this week. Humidity getting to "extreme" now and will stay that way until end of October. It has to be felt to be believed.
I've heard they're canceling or have canceled the free flight to Dubai for the interview. They only offer that when they're desperate. Rest of the time they charge the prospective employee for the privilege of the interview. Better hurry.....