CHC Africa Closing Down

[Hover Junkie]

Just heard this nasty rumour that CHC Africa in Cape Town is closing its doors. Is this for real and if so, what will happen to the pilots, machines, contracts etc. etc. ? Anybody with some news please?:uhoh:

[pilotkidsmum]

Would this include CHC Nigeria?

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Hover,

It appears nobody was surprised by this…

:}

[JABAG]

Just for your Info,
there is no CHC Nigeria. There is AEROCONTRATORS with CHC holding a stake in Aero.

:)

[BALEWA]

And Aero is waxing even stronger.

I hear 2 more -500's on the way to Aerocontractors in Lagos, no wonder the strategic recruitment drive going on. And apart from KK, I gather some excellent local F/O's and Captain's also absorbed by Aero in the last few days for the B737 fleet.

West and East Coast operations are picking up, hope they will grab as much of the market as possible out there. :ok:

Well done and all the best to this champion airline. :D Proud.

Balewa

[JABAG]

What has KK been ofered at Aero?
I hear some other big shots are going over.:confused:

[BALEWA]

JABAG, which one b big shot again now!!!

:confused: spill the beans my guy :confused:

Zazoo any insight from you Sir, or you still de vex with pprune house prefects ;)

[MamaPut]

JABAG is quite correct, CHC is a 40% shareholder in Aero in common with almost all other foreign companies in Nigeria. The 60% stakeholders are the Ibru family, owners of Oceanic Bank, amongst other businesses. The CHC element of Aero has always been administered direct from Hongcouver as part of CHC International and was never a part of CHC Africa, which administers all other African operations of CHC.

[Choppers Rule]

Any truth in the rumour that CHC is closing/seriously down sizing there Cape Town office?

[lolita]

From BBC Radio 23 March 2008.

CCAA Cameroon today suspended CHC Helicopters AOC when they discovered CHC had not been clearing customs on international flights between Chad and Cameroon. The Twin Otter aircraft, planned direct N'Djamena, Chad to Douala, Cameroon required refuelling in Dompta or Belabo which where not Customs airports. Mr Craig Barraclough (CHC's Special Projects Manager) was quoted as saying "we do what we like here and if they (CCAA) don't like it we'll move our aircraft to Chad".

[lolita]

The word is that the "Nigerian Cockney" was helping himself to the funds and his 2IC 'Black Mike' was asking too much money for the nationals so CHC said we're out of here.

[ROTARARY]

Lolita,
Careful what you say re Mr BarraClaus. We heard an engineer from over there was just taken to Gestapo HQ and interrogated and is now suspended after telling some home truths to Mr BarraClaus's Trolley Dolley girlfriend.
:=

[FloatFlyFu..]

Nice to see that the same circus acts play in Camaroon and Chad! Anyone know more about Cape Town? There are many rumours of CV's being shown around and CHC standing to lose the George operation!!

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Choppers and Float, you ARE in SA and CT and you are asking around what is happening in your own back yard? I think you very well know but just trying to add some fuel on the fire?

Lolita, who gave you the name? Your father?
Something in your quote does not add up. Did Cameroon CCAA suspended Chad AOC? Read your post again.

:}

[Choppers Rule]

:= Not trying to add fuel to the fire. The non SA based crew has only heard rumours. No statement has been issued. If the helicopters go onto the Canadian registery , it will have an impact on all the SA CAA licence holders.

[max payload]

VLAF,

Lolita is right, historically CAA Cameroun has threatened (and acted on) closing down Schreiner/CHCs AOC a few times, same same for the Schreiner/CHC Tchadian AOC by CAA Tchad, for various reasons.
In each case the aircraft were moved to the other country until negotiations were paid up again, er, conformity was re-established.
What a circus.

More disturbing about the post is the geography... N'Djamena-Douala Twotter operations normally stop in halfway point and international airport N'Gaoundere is to clear customs and take fuel. A direct flight is possibly under the right conditions with much lower loads, but trip burn is usually a little shy of tank capacity.
The only reason to fly through Dompta and/or Belabo on these runs (apart from N'Goundere not being available for any reason in which case Ngoundal is always there) is an urgent commercial (client) requirement because it is way off-track for N'Djamena-Douala but right on-track for Kome/Moundou-Douala.

Whatever.

Maybe they should look for proper dispatchers :)

Max :ok:

p.s.: who's the trolley dolley?

[ROTARARY]

Hey MaxPayload,
You sound like you are the man for the job over there in Cameroon.
Chief Trolley Dolly from CYVR.

[jazee]

Is not a surprise that CCAA suspends the AOC in Cameroon and chad, this special project Manager is unprofessional,..

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Max,

Ah, dispatchers! Dispatchers-tell-pilots-where-to-go. Or was it Air-Traffic-Controllers-tell-pilots-where-to-go?
There are Pilots and Auto Pilots.
There are Engineers but there are no Auto Engineers.
There are Dispatchers but there are no Auto Dispatchers.
But wait, how about Self-Dispatched-Pilots? I am sure well made XL spreadsheet will do the trick. Just fill in the blanks…

:}

[lolita]

Brian Clegg vp operations and Craig Barraclough have been supeonead to appear in Cameroon court over allegations of importing aircraft parts in employee personal baggage to avid customs and duty costs.
Several DASH 8 pilots are expected to appear as witnesses.

[ROTARARY]

Jazee, I think incompetent might be the more appropriate description.

[Captain Buck]

Hah,

Couldn't happen to a nicer pair, though I doubt Barrer Stuff and Smeg would know or respect the difference between a sub peanut and a peanut butter jelly sandwich.

The whole history of this contract in Cameroon and Chad has been one of fraud, incompetence and cock-up from start to finish back from when Schreiner first started it and had to fire a certain manager because of missing money. When boy wonder went there he refused to talk to the CCAA and then wondered why nobody got Cameroonian licences any more (then got promoted to a great job in Brazil). The CHC take over was even more disastrous as they knew that they knew it all and no-one could teach them anything about operating in Africa. (It really helped sending one of Smeggie's chums to Nigeria who couldn't even pass a drug test :E). I hope the 2 of them finally get what's been coming to them for a long time. It'll be interesting to see if the recent take-over of CHC by an American company will make them have any real business integrity (and a few executives going to prison normally really helps with that :}). I'm hoping to see more revelations and some proper ass-kicking as this plays out.

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Hey Buckee, long time no see. Did you hair grow back in a mean time?

“Certain Manager” was there to run the business. And he did. If it wasn’t him, Schreiner would have not been in Cameroon at all (and Chad operation will be just an ACN outpost). Nor would be CHC in Cameroon. Maybe we should blame him then.
He was not interfering with Operations or trotting around like a big boss. Just run the business (no, he was not selling Douala chicken meat to Ndjamena restaurants).
Two Head Clowns in Hoofddorp wanted to get rid of him and used a petty excuse to fire him. He left, all started going downhill and trend never reversed.

[mayotte]

Certain Manager was the one who say everything can be run with all aircrafts on Equatorial Guinea register. At least he talked with people but wasn't a very petty excuse to fire him when €30K couldn't be recovered. Boy Wonder couldn't even get his computer programmes to run, but is being looked after by somebody on high. I expect Heli Union will be the ones to benefit from it all. At least the French usually know how to conduct business in Africa.

[TheNews]

Eh Rotarary - What are you talking about "girlfriend" ??
Its pretty well known here in gestapo hq as you call it that CB is batting for the other team.

[ROTARARY]

haha thank you for the news TheNews - that explains a lot of things

[lolita]

http://www.cirb-ccri.gc.ca/collections/publications/decisions/RD0402_e.pdf

[MamaPut]

The News seems to be a new poster, probably CHC management trying to discredit posters like CB by saying they bat for another team. Well, no matter which team a player bats for, doesn't make him blind to what's happening on the pitch, no matter which side is in play. The players he's talking about as are unpopular in most CHC Global operations as they obviously seem to be in Cameroon as I haven't seen any posts from anyone springing to their defence :hmm:.

Rumor is that since the new owners, there are going to be many cutbacks in CHC Clobal and that Capetown is likely to be pruned back considerably, as may a number of other overseas operations. This is most likely to be support staff as there always seems to be a shortage of pilots and engineers. I wonder if this will include canine support staff :}. Over the coming months it will be interesting to see whether CHC is really going to be kept on as a going concern as-is, or whether barely profitable divisions will be sold off soon and others pared back to the bone to make them more profitable before getting sold off.

[Phone Wind]

Much though many may love the ever charming Barrer Stuffed and wish him well, it seems that the rumors of CHC's demise in Cameroon are rather hasty. However, the operation there is a total cluster-fcuk :E

[chcmanagement]

As usual this forum is so full of rumors they would displace the vipers from a sack of snakes. We are still fully operational in Cameroon, Messrs Clegg and Barraclough continue to have the full backing of management in smuggling whatever they need via Dompta or any other airfield and our employees are authorised to carry whatever we think they need to on our behalf in their suitcases. We spit in the milk of the Cameroonian CAA as we always have done - who do they think they are? We pay the bills and we call the tune there. The Schreiner management were weak and craven, thinking they could win just by ignoring these petty bureaucrats like governments and regulatory authorities. We're in charge now and we learned a long time ago in Africa that we just have to kick sand in their faces and tell them not to Fcuk with CH(u)C(k).
Captain Buck was a whinging, toady, whistleblower when he was here with Schreiner and he just can't accept that Yanquis aren't the only ones who know how to kick butt. Let him go back to his geekie toga parties and leave real life swindling to the men around here.

[lolita]

Would anyone have contacts for either GSG or Crusty please.
Need urgent. Thanks in advance.
lolita.

[Gray 14]

"Geekie toga parties" Ha!! Digging into the past on that one, but good darts none the less.

[PO dust devil]

Heard all that ......back to the topic perleees. BUT What's that got to do with CHC Africa/Court ops.....What's happening on a local level at CTI?

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Answer to that question you might get from Bruce Deluce when he lands in Cape Town with a suitcase full with money.

:hmm:

[lolita]

Heh Dobbin,
Don't spend all that cash just yet, you still have to pay outstanding holiday pay and other entitlements you stole from your expat pirots in CAMEROON and CHAD.
Canadian Industrial Relations are looking into the matter and are coming after you, pal.

How's that old slapper Christine telling us we dont need a union cause CHC have an open door policy, bahhh. How would you like my knee in your labia maximus, scrubber.


:cool:

[lolita]

This link is from the Canadian Legal institute website.
http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?text=CHC+helicopters&language=en&searchTitle=Search+all+CanLII+Databases&path=/en/nl/nlca/doc/2006/2006nlca47/2006nlca47.html
Have a look at the management helping themselves to the money and then you'll know why cHc have to steal holiday pay and other entitlements from their employees.
CHC have now decided not to pay sick pay to pilots that are on limited benefits packages. What next?

[Phone Wind]

Get back the winning team of Mani and Nabil who made aero the success it was in Nigeria before the arrogant, we-know-it-all-we don't-need-any-advice-from-you CHC management took it over and ruined a good company (Schreiner) :eek:

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Hey PW,

Beating the same old drum, eh? If I remember, you were very loud against Schreiner Fish Bowl Management few years ago (or was it just against SR?)

:rolleyes:

[Phone Wind]

VLF,

Then if you know that you should know that despite anything Schreiner management did, Nabil and Mani were the only people here in Nigeria actually making a profit and keeping the whole Schreiner ship afloat. The old Schreiner management was pretty poor, but considering the scale of their operation it's amazing that the bunch of clowns who replaced them have even lasted this long. How on earth did CHC ever get itself to the position it was in before the recent start of its decline?

[ROTARARY]

PHONE WIND,

Bunch of Clowns? .................. I thought this whole circus was an accidental side effect - but its the main act???

Ringmaster BarraClown eh

:ugh:

[anjouan]

Rotarary,

I suggest you have a loom at the posts on the Arik/Vk/Aero thread on this forum as it seems a fair bit is happening with CHC in Nigeria, though nobody seems to have said whether they're staying in partnership with Aero or pulling out yet.

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Nabil and Mani are back? What is next? John Fenton back in Chad/Cameroon??


:}

[MamaPut]

I very much doubt it. Nabil and Mani haven't been brought back by CHC, they've been brought by Aero because of their previous successes. Even CHC surely wouldn't want to get Cameroon even more screwed up than it is now? Though, on second thoughts looking at some of the people they brought in, maybe Fenton would look pretty good - at least he's never been a crook and has some integrity and I hear he's well thought of in Brazil.

[Dash-Cap]

Hey brother,its allways a pleasure to read your threads mate.Especially when you back it up with nothing but FACTS.Its time these ****heads pay up and meet the real team.It sure will be interesting on how CIRB finally rules on all of this and looks like it will be in favour of all CHC pilots.Some of the pilots are going to their own pockets because of a per diem that has not been increased in the last 7 years.Great management heh?How about all of us who must tell all of the different airlines we commute on ,that we are SHIP Captains travelling to and from work.Having to provide fraudulent papers in order to earn a living?How about some of us who are basically threatened with dismissal when asking for STATUTORY HOLIDAYS not PAID including VACATION PAY and of all things SICK PAY..Sounds to me like its time these scrubbers get a kick in the nuts.Hang in there LOLITA,we,ll be pinching the same titties together again someday....:cool:

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Since folks in SA are really worried, here is something for them. Heard CT Regional Office will close completely and "new" office will open in Hoofddorp and will cover both Africa and Europe. Like in the good old Schreiner days.

:}

[ROTARARY]

Hey Dash-Cap,

I think everyone is entitled to sick pay right?? Its legal entitlement.
Who is not getting sick pay??

Thats sick!!!!

[MamaPut]

It's not just sick pay - the 2 year bonus payments have been 'postponed' because of administrative problems :yuk:. Sounds like the beginning of the end :{

[Phone Wind]

Actually Mani isn't back with Aero. He's still with CHC and continuing in his role of being sent to all the places they've screwed up when they've taken over to try to undo all the harm their new wunderkinder have done. I wonder if he'll be able to find Nigeria's missing multi-millions :eek: ? He's here in Nigeria now and after crying to see just how much all these wunderkinds have messed up, he must also be laughing at the fact that these arrogant maple huggers have had to ask back the kobo man they so despised that he was disposed of in an unseemly rush, to sort out the garbage pile they've made of the operation here :{ ?

[anthony350]

If the rumor is true I hear that Everett in Nairobi are expanding and looking for experienced crew, would be worth sending CVs

[JetPark]

All I can say is that JL, who I knew very well, must be turning in his grave with what is going on here. Very sad.

[pookie1]

Does anyone want to stick their neck out - is CHC Africa a good place to work as a pilot if you stay out of the office and will the pending changes be a good thing for the company going forward?

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Hover Junkie,

Since CHC Cape Town Office closure is not a rumor anymore, this thread should be closed.

Or just continue as “Heard CHC will close all operations in African continent”?

:}

[pookie1]

So what will happen to the crews, aircraft and contracts? Will they be incorporated into the global ops?

[anjouan]

Remember this is just a rumour network :ooh: CHC may be closing down an office and they may be getting cut back in Nigeria, but I doubt they'll be closing down

[ROTARARY]

pookie - the short answer to what you are wanting to know is:

Money & time out are competitive - all the rest is a very big disaster and getting worse not better.

[Goffel]

Rumour has it, things are back on track......maybe, just maybe everyone will be smiling again.

[TheNews]

NASTY RUMOUR? - We know why you are smiling Goffel.....
We heard that you cowboys & girls are trying to banish the Barrafool back to our happy HO forever - dat not nice :{:{:{

[pookie1]

I hear now that CHC are selling all of their Southern African operations.....

[buckles]

Do you know whether that includes the fixed wing devision as well? The fixed wing devision did really well at some stage.

[Zabian]

Do they still have those Convair 580s? Use to fly on them in the 1990's :ok:

[ROTARARY]

I heard CHC are closing down operations completely world wide and instead doing TV comedy with BC & CB starring in a Canadian version of "The Two Ronnies"
:}:D

[Damager]

I hear Chad & Cameroon are also going to close down soon? South African & Namibian operations have all been sold to other SA Operators, what's next. CHC YVR have not issued an official reason on why they cut these contracts out of their collection, very sad. I'm sure there will be a few more surprises in the next few months, watch this space!

[Deanw]

Who has taken over the ship-shore supply service operating from Table Bay Harbour in Cape Town?

[unstable load]

DeanW,

That would be Titan. They also took over the Antarctic job, George base and if the stories are true will soon take Oranjemund and Convairs and all of the offices at CTI.

Like them or not, a large chunk of SA rotorwing history is drawing to a close and for no sensible reason other than company politics.:(

[victor papa]

Like somebody else said previously: "the Labuschagne's must be turning in their graves!" Jeremy was not always the most popular, but he did protect CHC Africa from exactly this for a long time. Amazing how a company like Court could go from Sikorsky rebuilds to nothing in 2.5 years after Jeremy's(and his son's) untimely deaths! A lot off especially engineering expertise lost thanks to the ever superior Canadians!:eek::ugh:

[Deanw]

Thanks UL.

I'm in George for the morning and took a photo of CHC S-61N ZS-RLL on the apron. It is now operated by Indwe Aviation.

Yes, I remember the Court Helicopters of old, I even flew in the S-58T. First they got rid of the Jetties and it was downhill from then on. Great shame. I still had lunch with Jeremy a week for his untimely death. RIP.

[EladElap]

Apparently like was mentioned the CHC operation in GRJ has been taken over by Titan and is being operated by Indiwe Aviation. They've also put another S61 down there, ZS-RFU which brings the total to three.

[unstable load]

If I recall correctly the contract was for 3 machines. Court/CHCA got away with having the 3rd ship in the docks on the basis that it could be there in short order and then they could use it for shipservice as opposed to letting it stand in GRG.

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

Latest from CHC. Two engineers. One RW, one FW. Working in the same hangar, for the same client, in the same conditions etc.

One gets 4% salary increase. The other gets 0% as a punishment for a bad financial result.

What’s next?

:yuk:

[rwm]

Dear Mr. B,

As you are aware, the company has recently sent out letters to all staff explaining the salary increases for the year 2008/2009.

The R/W staff received a letter informing them that they would receive a 4% increase in wages. The F/W staff received a letter informing them that we would not be receiving any wage increases.

This decision is not beneficial for moral of the staff, nor is it in line with company policy.

Further to this, this decision is illegal under Canadian Human Rights and the Labor Code, which CHC is bound by. Below is directly from the Canadian Labor Code.

Federal pay equity laws require your employer to pay equal wages to women and men, performing work of equal value within the same establishment. To meet their obligations under section 11, employers are encouraged to work proactively with employees and unions to develop and maintain gender-neutral compensation systems within their organizations.

I would like to know if you will bring these concerns to the attention of the relevant individuals within CHC Management.


Thank you,

[rwm]

According to the employee handbook policy 3.6, it says that we are entitled to annual vacations. It also discusses statutory holidays. It states "all field operation employees may be paid as above or be given another day off with pay at some other time in addition to pay for the hours worked on the holiday." The Labour Code gives guidance that the time off will be determined by agreement by the employee and the employer, and needs 70% agreement of all employees.

The employee handbook also discusses the averaging period that allows CHC to employ it's staff in "continuous operations". This section does not comply with the Labour Code. Since according to the Labour Code, a company can average its hours to ensure that employees do not exceed the maximum hours permitted under the labour code. The code does not give any minimum hours to be worked, and therefore CHC's policy to not pay us if we do not meet the hours worked is not a valid argument.

Further to this, all employees subjected to Labour Codes of Canada are entitled to Vacation, or Vacation Pay in lui. My contract gives me a daily rate and a monthly basic salary. Hours worked have no bearing in any discussion of vacation pay. Further to this, my contract states that I work 6 weeks with 6 weeks leave, and that I am expected to do 2 weeks of training per year. The wording of "time off" is very clear, it is not vacation, or statutory holiday time off. The labour code is also very clear that under averaging that time off is not vacation.

I have received two different explanations as to why I do not receive vacation pay. One reason given was that I do not work enough hours, and the other was that I am deemed to have taken my vacation in my time off. The first reason is not valid according to the Labour Code dealing with vacation pay, and the second explanation is not valid due to Labour Code dealing with averaging hours. The Labour Code is very clear. All employees subjected to Canadian Labour Code are entitled to Statutory Holidays, or pay in lui, and all employees are entitled to Vacation with pay or Vacation Pay in lui.

After I received these different explanations, I asked for a copy of the Labour agreement that CHC has with Labour Canada, and I was not provided this. I am entitled to this information. I also have not had any further explanation since I sent an email dealing with this last year. One of my colleagues was informed that he should speak with C B to have the CHC policy explained to him.

Division IV

Annual Vacations

Definitions

183. In this Division,

"vacation pay"
«indemnité de congé annuel »

"vacation pay" means four per cent or, after six consecutive years of employment by one employer, six per cent of the wages of an employee during the year of employment in respect of which the employee is entitled to the vacation;

"year of employment"
«année de service »

"year of employment" means continuous employment of an employee by one employer

(a) for a period of twelve consecutive months beginning with the date the employment began or any subsequent anniversary date thereafter, or

(b) for a calendar year or other year determined by the employer, in accordance with the regulations, in relation to an industrial establishment.

R.S., 1985, c. L-2, s. 183; 1993, c. 42, s. 19.

Annual vacation with pay

184. Except as otherwise provided by or under this Division, every employee is entitled to and shall be granted a vacation of at least two weeks with vacation pay and, after six consecutive years of employment by one employer, at least three weeks with vacation pay in respect of every year of employment by that employer.

R.S., c. L-1, s. 40; R.S., c. 17(2nd Supp.), s. 10; 1976-77, c. 28, s. 49; 1977-78, c. 27, s. 11.

Granting vacation with pay

185. The employer of an employee who under this Division has become entitled to a vacation with vacation pay

(a) shall grant to the employee the vacation to which the employee is entitled, which shall begin not later than ten months immediately following the completion of the year of employment for which the employee became entitled to the vacation; and

(b) shall, at such time as is prescribed by the regulations, pay to the employee the vacation pay to which the employee is entitled in respect of that vacation.

R.S., c. L-1, s. 41; R.S., c. 17(2nd Supp.), s. 11.

Vacation pay

186. Vacation pay shall for all purposes be deemed to be wages.

R.S., c. L-1, s. 42.

General holiday during vacation

187. Where one or more general holidays occur during a vacation granted to an employee pursuant to this Division, the vacation to which the employee is entitled under this Division may be extended by one day for each such holiday, and the employer shall pay to the employee in addition to the vacation pay the wages to which the employee is entitled for those general holidays.

R.S., c. L-1, s. 43; 1977-78, c. 27, s. 12.



1. For workers subject to averaging, how are standard hours, maximum hours and overtime calculated?

The standard hours of work of an employee subject to averaging are 40 times the number of weeks in the averaging period; maximum hours of work are not to exceed 48 times the number of weeks in the averaging period. For example, in a two week averaging period, standard and maximum hours are 80 hours and 96 hours, respectively.

At the end of each averaging period, overtime is paid to employees who work hours in excess of the standard hours, excluding those hours for which overtime has been paid already, in the averaging period. The calculation of overtime owing is based on standard hours that are reduced, pursuant to section 6(7) of the Canada Labour Standards Regulations, by 8 hours for each day in the averaging period which is a day:

· of bereavement leave with pay;

· of annual vacation with pay;

· of leave of absence with pay under subsection 205(2) of the Code;

· general or other holiday with pay; or,

· that is normally a working day in respect of which the employee is not entitled to regular wages (for example, when an employee is off on unpaid sick leave).



Under paragraph 6(7)(e) of the Canada Labour Standards Regulations, it is important to note that, in general, every day for which an employee is scheduled to work is "normally a working day".

It is usually the case that an employee receiving a base salary is considered to be "entitled to regular wages" for the purposes of paragraph 6(7)(e) of the Regulations. Therefore, no reduction is made in standard hours for the averaging period for an employee, who is absent from work on paid sick leave.

Averaging provisions under section 169 of Part III of the Canada Labour Code and section 6 of the Regulations are meant to address hours of work for both scheduled and non-scheduled workers.

· Scheduled workers who can average are workers whose schedules vary, such as airline pilots who may be scheduled for flights of varying durations.

· Non-scheduled workers are those for whom work is sporadic and unreliable such as non-driving workers employed by a moving or trucking company where employees work only as work becomes available.

[Dash-Cap]

I think the underlying statement intended to be sent here was that CHC doesnt make the majority of its business volume and profit with fixed wing aircraft and that they have no future interest in doing so.Read between the lines gentlemen,one pilot was told that the reason for a non increase was that through a survey,CHC found the Dash 8 pilots on the low side of the pay scale while the DHC 6 pilots where found to be on the high side of the pay scale thus "no increase in salary for the fixed wing pilots who support the same customers on the same contract.Why werent the Dash 8 piots given a salary increase if this is the case?Why has the per diem remained the same for the last 7 years while food cost has gone up considerably?The fixed wing pilots are not the individuals directly responsible for mismanagement,poor administration leading to huge fines and less than professional contract negotiations.We have allways been fed the line that "CHC is a family" and that transparency is a must given the size of the Global Operations.Its gone from bad to worst.Is Vancouver blind or do they like to be fed a bunch of s--t from their people managing the field?Time for CHC to start doing some serious deep sensing of their operation in Tchad/ Cameroun just like Lee Iococca did when he took over the Chrysler Corp and turned it around.Hard to smell the roses and watch the game when you are thousands of miles away.Dont blame or punish the soldiers,they hold the line day in and day out,take a look at the Generals and hope they are giving the President the true facts.:ouch:

[pookie1]

A quick news flash - apparently the Oranjemund sale has gone through and Indwe have taken over the helis in Oranjemund and the two fixed wing (Convairs?) as well. The end of the line for CHC Southern Africa....

[rwm]

One big mistake that CHC has made is not checking with the legal department before making such decisions of salary increses for one group, but not for the other in the same operation. This is a direct violation of Employment Equity laws, which CHC is bound to follow.

Further to this, CHC has been wishy washy over the vacation pay and stat holiday pay issues, and this also is in direct violation of Canadian labour code, which regardless where the company operates, they are still bound by Canadian Federal Laws, and all employees are covered by these same laws.

I sugest every employee makes a complaint to the Canadian Labour Board at the following number.

1800 641 4049
or follow this link to make an online complaint.
Workplace Equality, Employment or Pay Equity - Contact Us (http://www19.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/workplace_equity/contact_form.shtml)

[unstable load]

rwm,

I think it has all become a moot point now. According to my contact there CHCA is now no more and even the old e-mail addresses are being changed which would seem to be the final link to the "mother ship".

RIP CHC Africa, you were good to me.:{

[unstable load]

Just an update....

The sale went through on the 29th apparently. A group of investors including Titan, Graham MacKenzie (ex marketing mgr) and an unnamed American entity.

Also "lots" of the ones laid off with big packages are coming back to work, to the amusement of the ones who stayed on and did not get an increase:ugh:.

[rwm]

It is only a moot point for those who were part of the Cape Town operation. For those still with Global Ops, there is hope, and there will be justice.

Tchad/Cameroon employees still have the rights to fair and equal treatment under Canadian Law. All employees are entitled to vacation pay, and to statutory holiday pay.

The F/W staff have been discriminated against. Being refused a salary increase due to poor performance is a cop out. Since when does the worker have control over negotiations with contracts? Or poor buisness decicions made by bad management?

By CHC sending two letters to the staff of one operation, one to F/W saying no salary increase due to poor performance, and one letter to the R/W giving a salary increse, this is illegal under Canadian Employment Equity Laws.

Here is is again for you who have doubts:

Federal pay equity laws require your employer to pay equal wages to women and men, performing work of equal value within the same establishment. To meet their obligations under section 11, employers are encouraged to work proactively with employees and unions to develop and maintain gender-neutral compensation systems within their organizations.

[unstable load]

rwm,

Do you have any idea how this will all pan out when/if the First Reserve deal goes through?
No-one seems to have any idea whether the whole circus will pack up and move to the US or whether it will just be run as is with different managing staff.

I know this isa bit off track for CHCA, but it does affect Saffers so is IMO valid to the thread.

[rwm]

I have no idea what will happen, but if you believe the propaganda from YVR, they claim nothing will change.

However from what I have heard about First Reserve, they are a company which has a history of purchasing other companies, and selling off the parts they think will provide them the best return on the dollar. In this kind of situation, the rank and file normaly are the ones who suffer the most.

But only time will tell if this is what First Reserve has in mind.

I did notice recently a bit of a change in how YVR is doing some things, and there was a recent letter sent out announcing some new managers. I think from the information provided, that one or two of the new managers are from First Reserve, and this may be their first look inside the innerworkings of YVR.

I think the future will be very interesting.

[PO dust devil]

leopards and spots
DD

[Gooneybird]

So just to recap...has CHC ceased ops in Cameroon and Chad or not?

[unstable load]

Gooney,

I am not sure of that specifically, but with the exception of the domestic South African work and Oranjemund it looks to be business as usual.

The ships in EG are going back on the C-XXXX register and Angola is already D2- reg.

[Gooneybird]

Thank's unstable load,

Finally some good news this week.

GB.

[unstable load]

GB,

I'll see what I can dig up for you.

In the meanwhile, rumour has it that CHCA will be trading as...................

COURT.......................................

in their new incarnation!!

Go figure!

[rwm]

CHC Cameroon/Tchad is still operating, (at least as of yesturday.) and is under CHC Global, but was overseen by CHCA out of Cape Town when the micromanagers in YVR permitted.

[unstable load]

Thanks rwm!

There's your answer, Gooney. Looks like the micromanagers can have at it now. Good luck to them.

[Gooneybird]

Thanks guys, much appreciated GB

[Dauphin N5]

Little humming bird from Africa told me that CHC is closing one base in December and another one early next year. It is clear that CHC will close all African bases. Pilots and Engineers should get together and all resign on the same day and stop all CHC’s operations in Africa. Make your decisions; don’t let them make a decision for you. Come to North Sea, plenty of jobs here.

[unstable load]

Dauphin N5


Come to North Sea, plenty of jobs here.



Ah, but wait! There's a catch..... (as always). Were it not for a minor issue like a JAR66 ticket and a Brit Passport I would have been there long ago.

I even had a firm offer for an unlicensed (power by the hour) job and was told (by DOM CHC) that the Border Agency?? would not grant the visa as I was unlicensed.:ugh:
Apparently I need to be licensed to fill an unlicensed post in the UK.:D

[ROTARARY]

Soon all Dauphins from Port Harcourt and one from Douala will go to Ghana. That is good news. Hope they have cute boys there.

[Very_Low_and_Fast]

N5,

You are wrong. CHC Africa is doing very good. Now, go to sleep.

:rolleyes:

[Dauphin N5]

So, it was true. Libyan Tripoli operation is closing down this month.
Can anyone guess which base will be the last one on the continent?

[unstable load]

Well, the current rumour mill grist is that Nigeria and Angola are on very wobbly legs and about to expire. Now that's not a new thing for Angola as it has gone from 4 to 1 ship and up and down a few times.

igeria though will be a big blow. Up to 35 machines and all those pilots and enginesears suddenly dumped on the jobmarket will not be good.

[Taxidriver009]

It sounds like two C+ machines are inbound for Luanda, doesn't sound wobbly to me!?

If CHC "loose" the contract in Nigeria, "dead wood" will be cut and new uniform will be issued, business as usual. When they start closing fields, that is when we need to run for cover! Oil price down, start up fields move to right.......oil price go up, new business opening soon near you.

O, and the earth is going to stop revolving in two months and all "oil" driven vehicles to be replaced by "clean" driven vehicles in two weeks!

Take pill, a deep breath, phone your shrink, and RELAX!

[unstable load]

Taxi,

The contracts that were lost with the shutdown of CHCA were the ones that fell within the SADC zone, ie Namibia and domestic SA. Angola and Malabo were managed out of Cape Town but were transferred to Vancouver when the sale of CHCA went down.
I understand that the Malabo machines will be going onto the C-Reg soon and Angola is D2-Reg already.

[Taxidriver009]

Unstable,

Apologies if you interpreted my last post was aimed at you. Not the intention, but more aimed at the doom and gloom of all the CHC contracts "closing down".

My point being all the contracts are still running or will be running after CHCA, CHC Global or whatever you want to call whoever. To say they have shut down, or will shut down soon is an illusion. Maybe I'm being to optimistic looking at the current oil price, but the oil boys are still making money!

The important thing for eng/pilots is, the work will still be available.

Clear as mud?

[unstable load]

Taxi,
No problems with the interpretation from this side. Was trying to clarify the mud.

I have worn a few shirts doing this job and if the CHC ones start to itch or get too tight, then I will find one that fits me again.

[Dauphin N5]

Hover Junkie, since CHC (A) is history now, perhaps you should rename this to “CHC IN Africa closing down”.
CHC Cameroon lost contract to its last helicopter and will be parked soon; Libya closed down, Angola shutting down end of the year. Cameroon and Chad FW hanging on the string. Nigeria in shambles. Any news from EG? They seem to be the only ones still doing something?
Well done, Richmond!
:yuk:

[unstable load]

Don't blame Richmond for Angola. From the first time Court went into Angola they had been thrown out at least twice when Sonair decided to go it alone, only to be invited back later.