Air Zimbabwe Pilots Strike Again
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I am one of those that left in 1980. We all have a soft spot for Air ZIm and Afretair. We are part of a proud history and the foundation we laid for the future of Air Zim cannot be faulted.
About 5 years ago we interviewed 2 Air Zim pilots. Accepted the one and not the other. Standards then was acceptable.
Good luck.
About 5 years ago we interviewed 2 Air Zim pilots. Accepted the one and not the other. Standards then was acceptable.
Good luck.
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If there is anyone out there reading this who has been contracted to fly the Air Zim relief flights that are rumoured to be running via a South African company, as the saying goes, Hokoyo!
I hope one day you will not be in the same unfortunate position that the Air Zim guys are in. When you haven't been paid (for 18 months) and have to take extreme measures like striking, hopefully your efforts will not be sabotages by someone coming along and doing the work.
If Air Zim can afford to pay ANOTHER company for their flights they can afford to pay their own staff what is owed for work done!
I hope one day you will not be in the same unfortunate position that the Air Zim guys are in. When you haven't been paid (for 18 months) and have to take extreme measures like striking, hopefully your efforts will not be sabotages by someone coming along and doing the work.
If Air Zim can afford to pay ANOTHER company for their flights they can afford to pay their own staff what is owed for work done!
Last edited by Ingwe; 15th Sep 2010 at 14:45.
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Since when does Air Zim pay up front? More like they have found someone to fly now ... bill us later..and then its ahh...but lets negotiate..!!
- they usually pay a small amount as a deposit the rest you will see whenever-if-ever,- they will soon find themselves to be in the same boat as the striking crew, fuel suppliers, caterers , ground handlers, various airports around the world and who ever else has to deal with Air Zim- out of pocket!.
Absolute disgrace they cant pay their crew what they are due, looks like they want to pay civil servant pay of us$200 a month since that is "reasonable" and not the $1200 they had been getting or the $7000+ they should be getting.
- they usually pay a small amount as a deposit the rest you will see whenever-if-ever,- they will soon find themselves to be in the same boat as the striking crew, fuel suppliers, caterers , ground handlers, various airports around the world and who ever else has to deal with Air Zim- out of pocket!.Absolute disgrace they cant pay their crew what they are due, looks like they want to pay civil servant pay of us$200 a month since that is "reasonable" and not the $1200 they had been getting or the $7000+ they should be getting.
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AQ contracted in. Easy to condemn their pilots, sure they would end up the same way if they refused to fly because they dont agree with the principles of the strike! Hear their pay is also not much better than Air Zim's....
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I peronally feel for the AirZim guys/gals, trying to keep working for little pay...until enough was enough
but
I don't see how AirZim can come back from this strike, if they cannot even afford to pay their pilots and crew a decent wage, and are now reporting a 1/2million us$ loss every day, how are they ever going to recover from this, the govt doesn't have the money to bail them out either...only uncle Bob with his "stashed" loot can come to the rescue.
but
I don't see how AirZim can come back from this strike, if they cannot even afford to pay their pilots and crew a decent wage, and are now reporting a 1/2million us$ loss every day, how are they ever going to recover from this, the govt doesn't have the money to bail them out either...only uncle Bob with his "stashed" loot can come to the rescue.
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Air Zim has been a training ground for many pilots. They have lost on average five pilots a year to other airlines to date, and as Zimbabwe does not have any ATPL exams all those that have Zim ATPL's have got then by converting other countries license. The majority have been FAA and some JAA, so if these countries are not good enough who is.
Is the grass green on the other side.
The support that has been received is greatly apprciated, and who knows i may bee looking for a job soon, hope i'm good enough
Is the grass green on the other side.
The support that has been received is greatly apprciated, and who knows i may bee looking for a job soon, hope i'm good enough
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Its called fear of the unknown....we all had to move away from our comfort zones one day. This maybe the time to do just that. There is a whole satisfying life after Air Zim. Been there done that! U cannot blame Air Zim for not sending your kids to school...u have yourself to blame. Wake up call maybe. I know ur good enough just believe in yourself. Look for help! u will be pleasantly surprised there are a lot of people ready to rescue you out but you must look for the help line. Good Luck
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You cant blame the AQ guys or the airline itself. What would happen to them if they refuse to fly? They dont have a union to back them up.
This happens all over the world. When a pilots go on strike others will get some work. Its a fact of life.
I hope that the Air Zim guys get there backpay. In the end you can thank Bob for all this.
This happens all over the world. When a pilots go on strike others will get some work. Its a fact of life.
I hope that the Air Zim guys get there backpay. In the end you can thank Bob for all this.
If it was not AQ it would be another airline. Charter companies also need to make money-although whether they get paid in this instance is debatable!
Even with AQ the strike is still hurting Air Zim.
Good on the UM pilots to have stood together in the first place and go on strike. With their experience I am sure they will find new jobs. At least they made the most important first step, stop flying for free. It is always difficult to know when to pull the plug and we usually leave it far too late.
I hope UM management comes to their senses and resolves the issue as soon as possible-for everyones sake.
Even with AQ the strike is still hurting Air Zim.
Good on the UM pilots to have stood together in the first place and go on strike. With their experience I am sure they will find new jobs. At least they made the most important first step, stop flying for free. It is always difficult to know when to pull the plug and we usually leave it far too late.
I hope UM management comes to their senses and resolves the issue as soon as possible-for everyones sake.
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In recent times quite a few UM pilots have applied to other airlines and been accepted, and for this reason UM went on a recruitment drive a few weeks before the strike started.
The ZS reg a/c was contracted to supliment the domestic routes about a week before the strike started as the MA60 was down for major inspection and the other two were down for repairs. The second ZS reg a/c one came into service after the strike started.
If the pilots leave or take alternate employment, they will certainly lose ALL that is owed to them, and that is why I think a lot of them are hanging on. Once paid though, you may well see a large exodus out of UM!!
Heard a rumour that discussions are on going, with UM management saying 'come back to work and we will talk' and the pilots saying 'talk first then we come to work'!!
For the record...the standard of UM pilots is still high!!!!
The ZS reg a/c was contracted to supliment the domestic routes about a week before the strike started as the MA60 was down for major inspection and the other two were down for repairs. The second ZS reg a/c one came into service after the strike started.
If the pilots leave or take alternate employment, they will certainly lose ALL that is owed to them, and that is why I think a lot of them are hanging on. Once paid though, you may well see a large exodus out of UM!!
Heard a rumour that discussions are on going, with UM management saying 'come back to work and we will talk' and the pilots saying 'talk first then we come to work'!!
For the record...the standard of UM pilots is still high!!!!
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Thanks to you all
I wud like to personally thank u all for the support. These UM guys deserve our support. As pilots we should all stand together and support each other morally.
UM guys, remember there is life after you CEO
UM guys, remember there is life after you CEO
If the pilots leave or take alternate employment, they will certainly lose ALL that is owed to them, and that is why I think a lot of them are hanging on.
Garuda Indonesia are looking for B737 drivers, unfortunately they want 300 series onwards. Maybe stretch the point if they don't have enough applicants or pay for your own conversion course ?
There was a company in Bahrain wanting B732 pilots a few weeks back if anyone remembers the name.
The pilots had been reasonable but with over six months on less than half pay and no sign of when it would be back to normal it was time to pull the plug.
Now Mugape will have to hire in foreign aircraft at greater cost than it would have been to run the national airline.
Similar with the farmers, the country was self sufficient and now has to rely on foreign supplies to keep going.
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I stand corrected here......with the amounts being owed to the pilots (US$10k-US$120k
)say....l would think the only way such amounts change hands in Africa in general is when there is a "beast" being slaughtered, a whole village is invited, the local dance troupe breaks into the usual "we are happy" routine and everybody is wearing t-shirts with some fat guy's face printed on them..........or somebody is stealing the said amounts from govt. coffers/parastatal/food program/blah blah..since Air Zim pilots don't fall into such categories then it's very unlikely they will receive the amounts owed.
Or am trying to imagine the day when the management call each pilot to the office and hand then a "brick" of US$ in arrears......."Hello Peter....we are sorry we took long to pay you what we owed you....here take this brick of US$10k for now whilst you come to work and we talk later"
Not in this lifetime/galaxy
Apparently Mugabe earns (officially !) US$1200/m and Air Zim pilots want more than that......am sure you can see where this argument will end up.
Hand on heart, that money will never be paid and hard as it may be to leave your home, country, friends, mistresses, there is never a better time to walk away from Air Zim.
)say....l would think the only way such amounts change hands in Africa in general is when there is a "beast" being slaughtered, a whole village is invited, the local dance troupe breaks into the usual "we are happy" routine and everybody is wearing t-shirts with some fat guy's face printed on them..........or somebody is stealing the said amounts from govt. coffers/parastatal/food program/blah blah..since Air Zim pilots don't fall into such categories then it's very unlikely they will receive the amounts owed.Or am trying to imagine the day when the management call each pilot to the office and hand then a "brick" of US$ in arrears......."Hello Peter....we are sorry we took long to pay you what we owed you....here take this brick of US$10k for now whilst you come to work and we talk later"
Not in this lifetime/galaxyApparently Mugabe earns (officially !) US$1200/m and Air Zim pilots want more than that......am sure you can see where this argument will end up.
Hand on heart, that money will never be paid and hard as it may be to leave your home, country, friends, mistresses, there is never a better time to walk away from Air Zim.
Reports give the total involved as US$3 000 000, divided by 40 pilots = US$7500 per pilot. Obviously a long term B767 Captain would be owed more than a recently employed MA60 F/O.
A years leave at US2500/month would come to US$30 000.
Not pocket change by any means but do you seriously expect it will be paid ? With average earnings in the country of around US$250/month and a government controlled media, pilots will be portrayed as selfish, economic saboteurs who will get little sympathy.
The white farmers are still due compensation for the improvements made to their land before it was seized.
Why waste time at US$8-14000/month, which could be earned by a captain else where, in hanging around in hope ? Time to cut losses and move on.
A years leave at US2500/month would come to US$30 000.
Not pocket change by any means but do you seriously expect it will be paid ? With average earnings in the country of around US$250/month and a government controlled media, pilots will be portrayed as selfish, economic saboteurs who will get little sympathy.
The white farmers are still due compensation for the improvements made to their land before it was seized.
Why waste time at US$8-14000/month, which could be earned by a captain else where, in hanging around in hope ? Time to cut losses and move on.
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a different take from AP
Air Zim pilots end strike
Sep 23, 2010
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Air Zimbabwe says that its pilots have ended their devastating 2-week strike and the carrier expects to resume international and regional services on Friday.
Associated Press reports that Zimbabwe's national airline's chairman Jonathan Kadzura didn't give details of the deal that ended the strike. The airline fired the pilots last week but then resumed negotiations.
Senior pilots earned $2,600 a month, well below salaries of their regional counterparts, and the heavily indebted airline failed to pay most crew allowances for the past 20 months.
One airline plane was commandeered to fly President Robert Mugabe to the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week. U.S. officials confirmed they issued 80 visas for his entourage. Striking pilots had criticized the trip for its extravagance in the ailing economy.
Source: AP
Sep 23, 2010
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Air Zimbabwe says that its pilots have ended their devastating 2-week strike and the carrier expects to resume international and regional services on Friday.
Associated Press reports that Zimbabwe's national airline's chairman Jonathan Kadzura didn't give details of the deal that ended the strike. The airline fired the pilots last week but then resumed negotiations.
Senior pilots earned $2,600 a month, well below salaries of their regional counterparts, and the heavily indebted airline failed to pay most crew allowances for the past 20 months.
One airline plane was commandeered to fly President Robert Mugabe to the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week. U.S. officials confirmed they issued 80 visas for his entourage. Striking pilots had criticized the trip for its extravagance in the ailing economy.
Source: AP
