Solenta
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Solenta
I have sent solenta some junk mail, I think you call it a CV!
Anyhow, anyone tell us if they are, will they, ever will , have been .......at all.....hiring?!
Cheers Dynamite
Anyhow, anyone tell us if they are, will they, ever will , have been .......at all.....hiring?!
Cheers Dynamite
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Forget Solenta, friend of mine went on leave, happy in the knowledge that he is on the very next ATR course. Arrive home on sunday, moday morning gets a phone call;"thanks for coming, youre fired"
end of story
end of story
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Firing of Pilots
Last I heard from my West African colleagues is that he was not fired by paid a full 3 month retrenchment package and that his requiement to go on the ATR's was to have an ATP. Cannot imagine why!!
DHL restructuring of routes in West Africa resulted in too many crew and often its DHL who tell Solenta what to do, being an affiliated company.
DHL restructuring of routes in West Africa resulted in too many crew and often its DHL who tell Solenta what to do, being an affiliated company.
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Solenta Retrenchments
Hi Negotiator
You always sound so Solenta positive, management maybe? Andrew maybe?
Tell me was that the $2500 (on contract) salary or the $500 basic salary?
If the latter then its a bit poor.
Dont you think?
You always sound so Solenta positive, management maybe? Andrew maybe?
Tell me was that the $2500 (on contract) salary or the $500 basic salary?
If the latter then its a bit poor.
Dont you think?
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You might be right, Skywalka! The Negotiator seems pretty well connected and wayyy too positive to be an employee!
The man you mention has just been re-alienating some employees with his heavy-handed, tight-fisted, damn-you-all 'management' techniques, I hear. bravo! woop woop!
They should open a brothel, after all they are in the business of screwing people! The employees ( they're not just pilots - they're employees - people with lives) get screwed at every turn!
Contracts get changed as and when management decides, they constantly screw employees with pay and fire them at will when they are no longer required ($1500 and cheers, big deal). They provide substandard accomodation whist on contract and during local day stops, with pilots sharing rooms to cut costs. S&T's are now paid in arrears rather than advance, obviously the interest receivable is more attractive than employee loyalty! More firing to come in September when an ATR is scheduled to come on line JNB-HRE.
They drop business partners at will, break contracts left, right and centre...some legal action has already been taken and I believe an out of court settlement has been arrived at in the case of one employee who was fired. In most cases they prey on young low-time pilots (read : broke) who cannot afford the cost of litigation, which is a pity.
Their maintenance operation leaves a lot to be desired too, apparently.
Things might improve though, because going by management track record and decisions taken to date, they should be out of business by this time next year.
The man you mention has just been re-alienating some employees with his heavy-handed, tight-fisted, damn-you-all 'management' techniques, I hear. bravo! woop woop!
They should open a brothel, after all they are in the business of screwing people! The employees ( they're not just pilots - they're employees - people with lives) get screwed at every turn!
Contracts get changed as and when management decides, they constantly screw employees with pay and fire them at will when they are no longer required ($1500 and cheers, big deal). They provide substandard accomodation whist on contract and during local day stops, with pilots sharing rooms to cut costs. S&T's are now paid in arrears rather than advance, obviously the interest receivable is more attractive than employee loyalty! More firing to come in September when an ATR is scheduled to come on line JNB-HRE.
They drop business partners at will, break contracts left, right and centre...some legal action has already been taken and I believe an out of court settlement has been arrived at in the case of one employee who was fired. In most cases they prey on young low-time pilots (read : broke) who cannot afford the cost of litigation, which is a pity.
Their maintenance operation leaves a lot to be desired too, apparently.
Things might improve though, because going by management track record and decisions taken to date, they should be out of business by this time next year.
Last edited by The Bikini; 30th May 2002 at 02:25.
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Masseygrad.
Why would you want to send a CV to them ? They might actually employ you in which case shooting yourself in the foot would be less painfull, more stressfree and give you greater peace of mind than many of their own pilots have had in a long while, unless of course you happen to be a freemason, in which case even the most violently dysfunctuional individuals, loftiest asperations to lower middle management will progress in leaps and bounds...
Why would you want to send a CV to them ? They might actually employ you in which case shooting yourself in the foot would be less painfull, more stressfree and give you greater peace of mind than many of their own pilots have had in a long while, unless of course you happen to be a freemason, in which case even the most violently dysfunctuional individuals, loftiest asperations to lower middle management will progress in leaps and bounds...
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Well, as for Solenta it seems like the saying "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutly" rings true. To give Solenta a fair chance I guess they have given some young guys still wet under the wings some great opportunitys, flyings turbines and relatively good pay considering their experience, but thats where it stops!!
Any aspiring pilot searching for a job in the SA commercial aviation market will by now know the Solenta must have one of the worst reputations ( if not the worst!!!) when it comes to the way they treat their pilots. If you don't believe it just ask one of them. I heard they stack their pilots in the cheapest semi decent accomodation they can find in Africa, sometimes two to a room for three months at a time, then I heard they don't pay S&T to them and then to top it all rumor has it no fuel has been paid to supply their cars so they can get around. No worries for a Solenta pilot they will gladly sleep in bunk beds and ride donkeys to work so that the MD will never have the displeasure of having to resign from the wine club and play only 4 rounds of golf a week at an up and coming golf estate.
With regards to the ATR courses well it must be confusion all round because as far as can be gathered the requirements for the ATR course seem to changing daily so much so that I am sure that management does not know what the hell an ATR is. I believe they have hired overseas pilots with as little as 350 hours to fly there deliteful ATR's but then tell their own employees that they need ATP, mountains of multi engine turbine time, and all sorts of other ridiculous qualifications to become co-pilot on the aircraft. Of course these requirements are known to miraculously disappear in certain cases.
I have seen how these poor pilots operate up there, remember that at the end of the day your pilots are your bread and butter, they are the ones flying semi servicable aircraft through some of the most trying flyings conditions in the world, all so that Solenta can make money and if it was not for the dedication these pilots Solenta would not be where it is today.
So Mr Negotiator ( and any other relevant aviation management!), why don't you stop firing ( or retrenching as you call it!) your poor pilots just so you can make an extra dollar and begin to see you employees as assets, give the local (SA) chaps a chance to move in there careers, maybe they aren't the most qualified in the industry but they are certainly not going anywhere if you don't help them. I am sure that it may cost you money but I bet you some of the results will surprise you and the money you have spent on your crew will result in greater productivity and general increase in the wellbeing of your company.
PS- NO EMPIRE HAS EVER BEEN BUILT ON UNHAPPY PEOPLE!!!
Any aspiring pilot searching for a job in the SA commercial aviation market will by now know the Solenta must have one of the worst reputations ( if not the worst!!!) when it comes to the way they treat their pilots. If you don't believe it just ask one of them. I heard they stack their pilots in the cheapest semi decent accomodation they can find in Africa, sometimes two to a room for three months at a time, then I heard they don't pay S&T to them and then to top it all rumor has it no fuel has been paid to supply their cars so they can get around. No worries for a Solenta pilot they will gladly sleep in bunk beds and ride donkeys to work so that the MD will never have the displeasure of having to resign from the wine club and play only 4 rounds of golf a week at an up and coming golf estate.
With regards to the ATR courses well it must be confusion all round because as far as can be gathered the requirements for the ATR course seem to changing daily so much so that I am sure that management does not know what the hell an ATR is. I believe they have hired overseas pilots with as little as 350 hours to fly there deliteful ATR's but then tell their own employees that they need ATP, mountains of multi engine turbine time, and all sorts of other ridiculous qualifications to become co-pilot on the aircraft. Of course these requirements are known to miraculously disappear in certain cases.
I have seen how these poor pilots operate up there, remember that at the end of the day your pilots are your bread and butter, they are the ones flying semi servicable aircraft through some of the most trying flyings conditions in the world, all so that Solenta can make money and if it was not for the dedication these pilots Solenta would not be where it is today.
So Mr Negotiator ( and any other relevant aviation management!), why don't you stop firing ( or retrenching as you call it!) your poor pilots just so you can make an extra dollar and begin to see you employees as assets, give the local (SA) chaps a chance to move in there careers, maybe they aren't the most qualified in the industry but they are certainly not going anywhere if you don't help them. I am sure that it may cost you money but I bet you some of the results will surprise you and the money you have spent on your crew will result in greater productivity and general increase in the wellbeing of your company.
PS- NO EMPIRE HAS EVER BEEN BUILT ON UNHAPPY PEOPLE!!!
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Well,how better to know the real story than from a happy employee of Solenta.Firstly we DO get snt's at the end of each month.I am in one of the bases in west africa and our house where we stay is very very nice,we have a pool and all stay in our own rooms with air con. and live realy well,our car has never ran out of petrol and there is always money in our house kitty.If I have any problems back at head office,there staff is always willing to help and sort it out!
I have been with Solenta for almost a year and have never shared a room with other pilot's and only have good thing's to report about them.Guess the people who say bad thing's about Solenta don't have job's and get pleasure from dreaming up stories about them,and if your information comes from a presant or past employee,make sure they talking the truth....so now you have it from me....Solenta rules!
I have been with Solenta for almost a year and have never shared a room with other pilot's and only have good thing's to report about them.Guess the people who say bad thing's about Solenta don't have job's and get pleasure from dreaming up stories about them,and if your information comes from a presant or past employee,make sure they talking the truth....so now you have it from me....Solenta rules!
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Skottie,
Would you be prepared to divulge the flight experience you had when you got taken on by Solenta? Also, how you applied, i.e. on-line or by other means?
Sorry, I don't mean to be rude.
Would you be prepared to divulge the flight experience you had when you got taken on by Solenta? Also, how you applied, i.e. on-line or by other means?
Sorry, I don't mean to be rude.
Join Date: Jun 2002
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Well, I see Solenta has been shot down in flames! Rightly so for a few of the bad decesions management has made. I am employed by Solenta, not a happy employee, but grateful that I have a job. I do not agree with the foreign Pilots issue and if I had it my way, they would be retrenched and local Pilots given the work. At least I get paid on time and when it's time for my leave, I am not stranded in the field. I am grateful to Solenta for giving me the oppurtunity to advance my Aviation career, I know of worse Contract Companies. I just hope that management sees the errors they make and the effects theses errors have, a lot of good can be said about them too, they are all approachable, and are improvig their management techniques daily. As for accomadation, it differs from base to base, where I am at the moment, we live in a palace. All I hope is that Pilots who are employed after me will see an improved company as 'm sure it will in time.
Gatvol
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Im glad to see its not just us in the US who become territorial when it comes to jobs. There is another thread on Rotorheads with the same message. I should think though if I were a South African and flying in countries other than South Africa, I wouldnt shout to loud. It seems to me some who are whining have forgotten where the border is located....
Are there that many experienced SA Pilots unemployed or is this about the abundance of those just getting their feet wet.....
Are there that many experienced SA Pilots unemployed or is this about the abundance of those just getting their feet wet.....
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Foreign?
flyguysa,
I don't hear any complaints when South African pilots fly for Cathay or Quantas. Don't your realize that borders don't mean a thing to companies looking for skill and talent?
Drop that xenophobic attitude and get on with it!
I don't hear any complaints when South African pilots fly for Cathay or Quantas. Don't your realize that borders don't mean a thing to companies looking for skill and talent?
Drop that xenophobic attitude and get on with it!
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My point was obviously not as clear as I wanted it to be, look at the requirements that Cathay and Quantas set for employment. There are Foreign Pilots flying ATR's with less than 1000 Hours TOTAL time when there are South African Pilots who have been overlooked that more than fulfil the minimum reuirements for the ATR pool. Does this happen in the rest of the world too? My attitude is NOT xenophobic but LOYAL to my country and it's Pilots. Yes, we fly in foreign countries but operate South African aircraft on a South African AOC. Skill and talent count, so with a Comm, 350 hours and an ATR rating, would I get an ATR job on an ATR registered in your country?? I don't think so.................
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flyguysa ,
Like other people said as a South African Passport holder you are yourself a foreigner . Contract work is available to anybody as far as I know and the fact that the planes are register in SA does not mean that other pilots with other licences can not fly them.
I don't understand why you are complaining because talking about SA guys workings abroad , you will be surprise how many are not happy to be there ( specially West African countries ) , and for sure you will be one of them , so please stay home!
Gusto
Like other people said as a South African Passport holder you are yourself a foreigner . Contract work is available to anybody as far as I know and the fact that the planes are register in SA does not mean that other pilots with other licences can not fly them.
I don't understand why you are complaining because talking about SA guys workings abroad , you will be surprise how many are not happy to be there ( specially West African countries ) , and for sure you will be one of them , so please stay home!
Gusto
OI!!!
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flyguysa:
ok, so is the foreign pilot to blame if he is hired?
Solenta should provide some info to their pilots re. their hiring requirements but I'll tell you this: a pilot (foreign or non-foreign) does not ask or care whether other worthy candidates were turned down for the job when he accepts one...
Cheers,
ok, so is the foreign pilot to blame if he is hired?
Solenta should provide some info to their pilots re. their hiring requirements but I'll tell you this: a pilot (foreign or non-foreign) does not ask or care whether other worthy candidates were turned down for the job when he accepts one...
Cheers,
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flyguysa:
If I understand your way of thinking, because it is a South African AOC, although operating outside the borders of South Africa, all pilots should be SA nationals? So what about a foreign company that would be operating inside SA with a foreign AOC...no SA pilots then employed... I don't think you would find this fair either!
If I understand your way of thinking, because it is a South African AOC, although operating outside the borders of South Africa, all pilots should be SA nationals? So what about a foreign company that would be operating inside SA with a foreign AOC...no SA pilots then employed... I don't think you would find this fair either!
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Has this site changed from the Rossair bashing of days of old ? It seems that the name has changed but the whinges not. One should look at who the owners are, they are the same two who ran/flew for Rossair in Angola, Moz and else where. So do you honestly think things will change ? It should be called Schlenter Airways, just to remind all who have come in contact with the management in business deals and contracts.