How much money are you owed ?

[chief wiggum]

Seems that everyonje I speak to in GA reckons that there boss owes them some money... either past boss or present employer.

Personally I reckon a company owes me $9000 ... but I have zero chance of getting it! And when I left my last job, they ripped me off a couple of hundred... again.. cost me more to chase then it is worth.

Anyone else out there in the same boat ?

[Islander Jock]

Not GA related but just to show that it occurs elsewhere also
I am currently working on a summary at the for 9 employees (of which I am one) of an Australian based company with a world wide presence in the oil and gas industry.

The latest figure I have is about $116,000 USD in unpaid salaries stretching back to last November.:{

And to think I got out of GA so that I could work in an industry that pays well. :confused:

[ITCZ]

Nope, not owed any money. AFAP!

[DeltaT]

5000 pounds sterling, and the sod is still trading under about 5 different companies

[jimshutt]

I am owed $6000 plus. I see they have changed their company name again- I wonder if more people have missed out as a result.

[MarthaFarka]

Even at the 3 level airline level, the companies tend to believe that allowance claims and silly things like super are bonus payments and not always required. I agree with ITCZ, protect yourself and join the AFAP. Mind you, that didn't help the old ASA staff even with the president as the CP!! The employees are missing many thousands and are unlikely to get anything back

[steamchicken]

He didn't owe me money, but he told the subcontractor I was working for that I'd induced him to pay me A$650 more than I was entitled to. Falsely. The subcon threatened to kill me

[AD/DUNNY/01]

Chief Wiggum, if you are in the right and you are in Aus then send your stuff to the Industrial Relations people, they follow it all up on your behalf and you don't pay a cent.

[otto the grot]

$18,000 which includes redundancy, unpaid leave and allowances.

The company traded on under many different names and is still operating today.

Paid up member of the AFAP. What did they do about my job and my money? Tied it all up in the IRC for close to 5 years and then decided that it was all too hard and would cost them too much money to take it to the federal level.

Don't think the AFAP have your best interests in mind. Take alternative action if you are serious about getting anywhere. Speak to a debt collector or go to the Dept. of Workplace Relations and get them onto it. They are very helpful and will tell you upfront if you have any chance with your case.

[speedjet]

Have to agree with you "otto the grot"

I am also a member of AFAP yet I still have over $5000- owing from previous employer.

Think it must be in the too hard basket as the claim was made in Mid 2001.

Get no feedback from AFAP as the owner has since sold the company but it continues to trade under same name.

[criticalmass]

$Aus8302 from an American company I did some work for a couple of years ago. :(

They're never going to pay it. As a small business it leaves a slightly astringent taste in the mouth. Needless to say we don't give favourable references for that company. :E

[Tankengine]

Do the words, Rebels, Gypsy Jokers or Banditos mean anything to you guys?:E

[apache]

I used to fly "BANDITOS" ... and I am STILL owed money. AFAP absolutely useless in this respect. Unfortunately, it is "not worth chasing"!!!!

If you are only owed a couple of hundred dollars, and it IS in dispute... how good is the IRC really ????

[Mickster]

I asked the owner of a company I worked for, for the $6000 (oveer 12 months) that it owed me under the GA Award. The owner told me to get stuffed so I went to the Dept of Workplace Relations. They worked out I was owed just under $10,000 and issued a breach notice to that effect. Although, there is no enforcement available on a breach notice, the company paid as the legal process that I would have commenced would not be worth it on their part.

He should have quit while he was ahead and paid the $6000! Lucky for me he didn't! :cool: :D

[VneII]

Mickster

Glad to hear you had a win and got your coin. My question to you and others is was there any negitive ramifications for trying to get what you are entitled to and deserve. ie Did you're boss make it difficult for you to leave or bad mouth you to prospective employers etc????

I'm sure the "I know know everyone in the industry, look after me and I'll look after you .... don't and you'll never work again" attitude is standard issue with 90% of bosses in GA.

good luck

VneII

[tom19]

no one owes me money.....i owe money to other people for my training.....

[sweethart]

so let me get to the question i am sure, from our Scottish union friends to dodgy GA operators, are trying to remove from the edge of their tounge but have difficulty saying. "SO WAT KNOW?"

Let me tell you what know. Sweet FA. Why? Because thats the way it is. While low-time pilots are getting hours for that dream job there aint a chance in hell they are going to jeperdise it. And then low time TWIN guys dont wanna loose those hours on n on n on ...

And AFAP ? Well they won't do ****e on their own back. Instead they put it all back on the pilots and sit fat, dumb and happy in their office full of Scotsmen saying how the GA guy should sacifice everthing so as they can do their job!

It goes without saying that the world knows about the doings of certain operators in Darwin. Its been happening to pilots for years and willl continue to do so until (I beleive) the law can be involved. Keep ya eyes posted as Darwin is about to change the culture of Australian Aviation. Thats all i can say ... sorry .....

[Rotor1]

A real scumbag helicopter operator in WA owes me over $9000 in unpaid salary and expenses. Oh well I learnt my lesson, make sure you get a good job discription before you commence employment. It is now in the hands of th IRC. he has gone out of business I hear so my chances are very slim.

Rotor1


:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :*

[Mickster]

VneII

Yes I was badmouthed by the operator, but he had a crap reputation and the company I commenced employment with was in direct competition. Not only did they ignore the defamaing comments that were coming from my former employer (stopped quickly after a threat to sue for defamation), but they ecouraged me to "take him to the cleaners" as it was well known that he undercut his opposition by paying below the Award.

Just now going through the motions on a much larger claim with a different company. Things are looking extremely promising.

If there are any people out there with claims in excess of $15,000, you should seriously consider the option of taking the operator to the magistrates court. If the Workplace Relation Act is breached (this is the case when the Award is breached), then the comany will pay a fine on top of your entitlements up to a maximum of $10,000. This money has been used, in previous cases, to pay the legal fees of the plaintiff instead of going to the Fed Govt coffers. This is how the unions, federations and government departments reclaim the legal costs from companies intent on breaching the various Awards.

The good operators are not scared of an employee expecting to be paid the MINIMUM award - they even budget for it. In fact, some out there pay well above!

Good luck all.

[Rotor1]

Well I have received some info from the IRC and it looks good for me, for my unpaid wages claim, however, if I see him around the traps I will tell all of his currant pilots to be very wary of the slimy sc_m bag. He is one of the many operators out there not paying even the award

Good luck to all of you and don’t give up on the IRC

Rotor1

[CBavoider]

G'day folks,

I feel for all of you owed cash, I really do, but GA flying can be a tough world.

You get (few) customers who want to fly but don't want to pay for the privelige.. so operators want to cut charges down as low as they can.

There are HIGH operating costs thanks to maintenance, acquisitions, ASA/airport charges etc.... so that means LOW margins.

It's easy for the GA biz owners to put on a Pilot, God knows there are enough low timers out there who'll do it for just the love of flight...oh, can I have some cash too????

OR... the GA Bizguy falls behind and says "stuff it, I won't/can't pay, lets fold and try again".

To make GA a better place, charges for maintenance etc have to come down(ha ha ha!), so savings can be passed on to customers with cheaper flights and therefore GA Pilots get better pay & conditions... maybe make that investment in our careers back that much faster.

I know this sounds almost rediculous, but.. I have a dream...;)

[LateNightOps]

charges for maintenance etc have to come down(ha ha ha!), so savings can be passed on to customers with cheaper flights and therefore GA Pilots get better pay & conditions

I question the logic that reduced maintenance cost will equal increased wages for pilots!!

:hmm:Maybe the AME's and LAME's should take a pay cut to reduce their bottom line therefore passing on the cost saving to the GA pilots :hmm:

A business has to be economically viable with its current operating costs and market demands... That goes for all businesses, not just GA.

If it cant operate profitably whilst paying the appropriate wages to all concerned, then maybe it shouldnt be open in the first place!!

Customers not paying is not an excuse!

LNO

[CBavoider]

LNO,

I agree with your post completely. I love the concept of LAMES taking a pay cut to give Pilots the chance to get paid :rolleyes: :eek: something tells me they won't.

As for the rogue operators and those with lower morals not even operating in the first place, couldn't agree with you more.

Problem is, just try and CASA to get their finger out to root these questionable operators out and ditch them once and for all... sheesh! I've tried. Too big a job for one guy alone. They just say "okay, thanks for the report" and nothing is seen to be done as the Operator is still seen doing the same ol' dodgy things.

One of the requirements for an AOC says "solid financial staus" and "responsible business practices" or something to that effect. :mad: if I know how they met these.