Life In UAE????

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Hi, as you can tell from the name, I am yet another of the growing mass of peeved off and disillussioned Oz controllers, and I looking to jump ship. But before I leap I was wanting to find out particularly the accomodation/lifestyle situation.

Particularly my wife is interested in what you guys do when not at work ie. where you go with the kids on your days off etc.

Anyway any info would be great, cheers.

P.S Ferris, hows life treating you, your old sectors are still as interesting as ever, and as you can see above ASA are still up to their same tricks as far as staff management goes.

Also where is the choice place to go with a family..ABU DHABI, BAHRAIN, DOHA ????? cheers.

[Late Landing]

AirNoServicesAustralia

Check your e-mail.

[Lost_luggage34]

Just don't let your wife become a Jameria Jane ! - i.e. sitting on the beach all day drinking cocktails. Seen it happen - long term effects on a relationship not too good.

However, Dubai itself is pretty Westernised vs other Middle East states. Culture has to be respected of course, especially during Ramadan. Takes a while to get a liquor licence & 'phone line as a resident - so worth getting check-in mesages to any visiting folks to stock up via the Duty Free on their outward sectors.

I would happily work/live out there again given the opportunity. I am sure there are folks on here who have far more experience and useful advice - just my tuppence worth.

PS. Watch out for the Russian hookers - they frequent the bars particularly when there's a US Naval vessel in harbour. And I DO NOT write from personal experience !

[ferris]

Please email me with your questions. Only too happy to answer.

Life's pretty good- I have no regrets.

You had better hurry, it's turning into a stampede.

[Late Landing]

Having spent 9 years in the sandpit I am glad to be back in the 'real world'. I enjoyed my time there but things aren't what they were when I started. The almighty dollar has become the driving force as the Company tries to increase their profits usually at the expense of working conditions. Before resigning and rushing off, ask yourself why vacancies are continually advertised? Sure some increase in staff numbers is due to the increase in traffic and sectorization, but a lot is due to the ever changing working conditions - staff have no recourse to changes in their contract so they vote with their feet. Bear in mind that your contract is not worth the paper it is written on, clauses get changed at the whim of the Company and you either accept it or you leave - no Unions to protect you.

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Late landing thanks for that, I read the e-mail and yes we are thinking long and hard before making the leap.

Lost Luggage, I'm sure you don't speak from personal experience,we all believe you, but whats that rash you've got hehe.

Thanks for the info so far, its been really helpful.

Most importantly from an Oz point of view can you get AFL footy on Cable at all????

[1261]

..... or NRL??

[PMS]

Ferris and Late landing,
Reference your posts in mid August on this topic.

As for ferris (whoever you are) your comment on you better hurry it is turning into a stampede, yeah your'e right a stampede in the sense that Serco can't keep replacing the number of people that keep resiging. I see they have advertised again for about the 7th consecutive time. I think that say s it all.

Late landing is correct with what he says, and after my few years with that lot the contracts are not worth the toilet roll they are written on.

Think agian those who even contmplate working for Serco anywhere especially the middle east, they'll get you everytime.

I think that Ferris is doing his own advertising to help bolster the already short staffed roster.

TTFN:D :p

[Rice Whine]

is there any truth in the rumor that i just heard that serco have dropped their max hiring age to 45 in uae?

[PMS]

That sounds like a load of baloney.
That would just about cut over half of those out who would be considering applying. The other half are South Africans so they don't count.

I doubt there is any truth in that rumour

TTFN:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[TwoDogs]

It may sound like baloney but 3 weeks ago I was offered a job in Abu Dhabi, by SERCo, only to be told 5 days later that the "customer" has now stipulated a max age of 45...sorry.
This despite the fact they have had guys 50+ starting recently.

If anybody knows anything different I would be interested to hear.

[PMS]

Two Dogs,

why are you leaving HK, and willing to return to work for that bloody outfit?

Curious, because HK is where I would llike to endup or have things changed recently

REgards

PMS


TTFN:D :D

[fart]

PMS

I have been reading your replies with interest until you started attacking the South Africans. You really seem to know it all, don't you? I have worked in Doha back in 1995 for 12000 Riyals/month, so for you to work there now nearly 8 years later must be a desperate case? If you ever worked for SERCO UAE, they must have kicked your ass out of the UAE and as you probably had no place else to go, you accepted the Doha offer, which is significantly less than SERCO base pay. No gratuity or school fees and far less leave than SERCO offers and you are upset with SERCO??? It seems like sour grapes to me, matey!

I see that you want to go to HK, is the sandpit to warm for you already? I would like to know what it is about South Africans & SERCO that pisses you off? Is it that they do a better job than you can or that SERCO pays better than your current employer?

Please tell us as I am sure you will!

Hi Late-Landing - hope all is well with the cattle farming in NZ? Kiwi beef sells for about 20-22 Dirhams a kilo at the moment.

Masalama.

[Dumas]

Beste Fart

With regards to your heated reply to PMS's post with a mention of South Africans in it ............. here is how I read it.

What I think he was trying to say is that most people applying for UAE/Middle East jobs are those who are nearing retirement and are looking to spend their golden years in the sun. Probably running away from the misery of Europe etc. So therefore the lowering of the age limit wouldn't make sense. South Africans DON"T count in this argument because we're the only ones in the world who run away from the Gastapo type tyranny of ATNS at such a relatively young age.

Well, that's what I think he meant. If not, I am at a loss.

PMS, please clarify if I misunderstood your statement.

Fart, stywe lyne ou pella! Alles van die beste!

[ferris]

PMS- You are correct, I am doing my own advertising. However, I think you'll find we are just about at full complement (and how many ATC providers can say that?).

You are correct in warning those contemplating coming here to do so with their eyes wide OPEN. Serco has, in the past, treated employees very poorly, but are genuinely trying to rectify that. The main problem, a certain manager, is no longer in a position to wreak havok. There is nothing really to stop Serco reverting to the sins of the past, except the realisation that it hurts their bottom line when all the staff leave. And these days, that is a powerful thing. The other problem is dealing with the whims of the customer- a certain autocratic gent. Serco cannot be held responsible for that (those shaking their heads at 45 age limit take note).

Before this degenerates into a for/against Serco thread, I will reiterate; I am quite happy with the path I have chosen. Perhaps PMS, you might like to think about that. And why YOU feel the need to change employers every 12 months. Maybe a stint of SELF-EMPLOYMENT is called for? Your credibility goes out the window when you start lauding Doha over AUH.

So cut it out, or we'll start exporting some Seth Efricans;)

[PMS]

Dumas

thankyou for your interpretation of my post. You are correct in what you wrote and there was no intention of malice in what I said just a statement of fact that you guys were leaving ATNS in droves. and were making up the bulk of Sercos recruitment.

As for FERRIS, firstly get your facts right (you obviously have me confused with someone else) I DON'T change jobs every 12 months and have never said Doha (with its marginally smaller pay) was any better than AUH, other than the accommodation was far superior here than AUH and thats from first hand experience which you cant compare.

As for the tyranny of SERco, unfortunately for you a leopard never changes its spots and Serco will always be the same especially now that their share price is inthe doldrums in the UK they need to squeeze more profit than ever before.

Be careful is all I am saying. And as far as me being desperate and nowwhere to go, again misinformation and guesswork, I can leave here anytime I feel and go back home or somewhere else
whereas some of youcan't, so please get your facts right before spreading evil gossip. I only speak from my past experiences not mirages as you do Ferris.

And as for your South African quip read Dumas's post, he read it right and he is South African and didn't take any umbridge


TTFN

[TwoDogs]

To be honest i am leaving Hong Kong because I am not wanted here any more. HKCAD is slowly divesting themselves of expats and somebody has to be top (or bottom) of the list:(. Having said that we are more than happy to be going.
I have been much stuffed around in the past having been given extremely late notification of extensions of contract and, quite frankly, my family is sick to death of not knowing what is happening. Most of the guys here, me included, are here for the money and NOTHING else. Job satisfaction and moral is almost non existent but the money is good. Social life can be OK if you are prepared to pay for it. The roster is pretty ordinary and they are currently trying to re-write it to cover the shortage of staff. (Yes, they are short staffed and yes, they are getting rid of expats - you go figgure, it's all about money I think)
So far there have probably been about a dozen expats who have left, some voluntarily some not. I came here on a three year contract 6 years ago (3 short term extensions cos they can't get their act together re staffing) and I am more than ready to leave (41 days to go...and counting:) )
There is also a 5% pay drop starting in October and the accommodation allowance has dropped by more than 30% since I arrived.

As for working for SERCO, I worked for them in Bahrain before I came to the "Not So Fragrant Harbour" and had no complaints. If nothing else the roster and leave arrangements are far superior to this place. Also, my family really enjoyed living in the Middle East and I would be more than happy to return there. All I need is a job.:(

For those of you who are holding out for a job here, don't hold your breath. from what I have heard the finance department has told CAD that it must reduce the number of expats and no more will be hired.

[ferris]

PMS- please don't attribute posts to me that I did not make.

Maybe you should lighten up and learn to take a joke- even if it is at your expense. Is living in Scud-Target-Area-Number-1, sorry, Doha, making you jumpy?:p

[Death From Above]

Worked in the Middle East and had a great time there. It's not for everyone, specially those who dislike the Russian ladies...ha ha. The people that worked with me and disliked it, were usually the kind of people that will be unhappy where ever they go.
Sounds like some of those out there that are moaning and bitching so much should go and do some attitude adjustment time with a company like ATNS, ASA, or NAVCAN......by the sounds of it. Have not heard good things about these companies. Not working for the best company in the world right now, but if what I hear is correct about these other companies...........I got it pretty damn easy. Not saying where I work ........ don't need the competition.