Serco, staying or going?
 

So what is the goss?

Will UAE be ridding itself of Serco, or will the contract be extended again?

Rumour mill has it 50/50 each way, although the deadline I hear is around mid September. (To give all it's employees 3 months notice)

Who knows, if the DGCA take over, it may make some of them a little more pleasant to talk to on the lines:E

Serco may or may not go, but whatever and wherever it happens, unless there are a lot of local staff trained and validated, most of the ex - Serco staff will still be there.

The ATC side of Serco has taken a severe kicking in the last 12 months, and I understand that the board are taking a very close look at what's happening now and what is likely to happen within
the next 5 years with ATC contracting in the UK.

It has been alleged, and I've no proof of this, that the UK operation no long makes money for the company. Fewer regional airport providers want to contract out ATC, and there is much twiddling of thumbs in an office in Hook.

Serco as a multi national company makes serious money, and I'm sure they wouldn't tolerate any loss making operation anywhere within.

NikNak...
 

Sounds like Management speak to me.....
:zzz:

Word from a friend down the road on the said contract is that they can't get people to come to the center and the GCA attempt of filling gaps with Malaysian controllers has fallen into a heap with them all heading back home after limited or no success.

If you want quality, don't shop at the 1 Dirham shop pay the bucks and get the service....I know of an airline or two in this region that are going down the same road, but that's being covered well on another thread! :p

Sorry niknak, I should have been more specific in the heading.

I was really asking about the UAE (Abu Dhabi to the uninitiated) contract that is due up again.

The staff will of course still be there and you would imagine that they would be in a pretty damned good bargaining position.
without the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads from Serco, they may stand a good chance of doubling their salaries.

Then perhaps they might sound like they were in their "happy place" rather than what some now are like...lost a pound and found a penny!:}

Funny how some of the more vocal types defending the "push em down rule" have been strangely silent on this thread?:suspect:

deafening silence
 

Gone awfully quiet on this thread, lots of views and not too many opinions.

Seatstrap I think even Serco will have to dig into it's coffers to keep the staff. If you guys walk, they are totally out of business. It may be about time that someone pointed this out to them.

Doha, Bahrain, Dubai and Muscat all get way better deals than the guys in UAE...people usually go where the money is..with one notable exception (sorry foxxy)

pin head
 

Sorry to burst your bubble old boy. Not a case of being quite, it's just a case of not enough facts to go on. From what i hear negotiations have not even started. I can only express my hope and that is that is is sorted out properly so we know where we stand and can get on with our lives.

Whats the deal in MCT? Still hearing rumours of salary but no confirmations. Ole foxy is munching on the bit here.

VNKT...
 

Dearest Moggie,

Do attempt away at bursting my bubble..I shall check my
give-a-stuff-ometer as to whether it is sorted out or not.

I was only hoping that the boys up there finally received a fair days pay for a fair days work. and that the boys are in a fairly strong (read nigh on impressive) position from which to bargain.

The deal here is that the powers that be are seriously looking into big time recruitment. what would be the equivalent of 30000 of your dirham thingies per calendar month, find your own accomodation.

To give an idea of that cost, see foxxy...

Put that up against what is on offer in UAE and tell me if you think you are being looked after up there?

When in Rome....
 

Which I am!!!!!!!!!!! Yippee Ki Yi Yay!

Cat Man Duz
Not chomping at the bit mate, just taking a holiday and waiting for the entertainment to unfold! Time is ticking and no prizes for guessing where my Omani coffee table will end up if things dont improve in the Bronx!

Pluck Me, A Diving Duck
One must conceed that one has not enjoyed the lifestyle that one had in Sunny Seeb, but now that one has gained the experience to realize this, improvement will be made forethwith.....:E

Well must dash, about to chase some wild boar in Tuscanny....that's Boar with a 'B' not 'H' :p

See you soon....Inshallah!

Serco/Gcaa is there a difference
 

Gentlemen,
It doesn't matter if Serco get the contract or if Gcaa go direct hire.
Pay and conditions will always be substandard as long as Rj is in charge!!!

Ah yes

the dashing Dane!!
Hasn't anyone managed to remove him yet. Maybe mother nature will take its course for you and the rest of us looking for greener or dustier and more financial pastures.

Keep me posted if that happens!

What is the story with the other contracts in Bahrain and Dubai?

TTFN

Tweety

Tell you what, a couple of us are keen on the direct hire route, at least you know what you're getting salary wise. With Serco the single guys are subsidising the married ones. Serco should be aware of this already, wonder if anything will be done.

Sheik Tanoon....
 

Yep, clutching at staws offered the priveledge of Sheik Tanoon for three months....after that who knows?????:confused:

Under New management...
 

Sheik Tahnoon would have been the way ahead except the Lebonese Mill is under new management and they don't have machine chickens at the moment :(

seatstrap 1st of October....might be 3 days too late...:sad:

Chinz up though, looks like The Ratz back...:p

Must dash, have an appointment with another bottle of Tuscanny red! :ok:

Heard the cockroaches have also moved to sheik tahnoon, they couldn't handle foxies neighbours. Don't worry foxie, you now have somethings to help you carry.:D

Welcome back le seatstrap. I am concerned that you agree with me, i'm not sure who has swayed, you or me.....gasp...shock :yuk:

Come on RJ sign us up :ok:

Cat Man Do

Is that you HJ??

If so did you hear Masher retired the other day?

cheers

Cut Min Dow
 

Not coming home mate....the thought of, hold on a minute did I just call Subaru home...aeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiieeee!:{

I will get the UAE Government Bio hazard team in to collect my belongings and I will make my way down to the Salvation Army shelter and start busking for my next meal....:(

:p

AUH O/T
 

Guys

gone very quite on t this thread of late, c'm0n how about more info on the overtime, is serco really paying for this and in reality just how many are you down on your 32 man roster there guys.
:O :O

Are you now lying low just in case your jobs do come up for grabs if Serco do get the push.

Keep us all informed, as if Serco do get the bums rush then you may find an attempted mass exit from Oz which will only exacerbate the already precarious staffing issues now facing Airservices in both BN and ML.
;) ;)
Await your further communication with updates on the AUH saga.

TTFN

tweety

I think all the info is out there. What do you want to know?
The GCAA is paying the OT, at 2000dhs per shift. The cancer that is OT has arrived. The mass exodus you are talking about is actually OUT of AUH. Why do you think they are resorting to OT? The guys here are doing the OT in order to bring their money up to where it should be anyway. How long do people think that will continue? The ridiculous rosters, the lack of days off, and now the OT will lead to fatigue, sickness and sap morale (and there is precious little of that).
It's sad that people are working on their few days off for money they should be getting anyway. Take a look around the gulf and see that most places are realising what they have to pay. AUH lags so far now, it isn't funny. The problems mount, and Nero fiddles.

Serco will not get the bums rush- not this contract. They will get a renewal. The GCAA realise they cannot staff the contract, so Serco will get one last go (and mess it up totally, as usual). Trouble is, RJs battle with Serco just hurts the staff, and not just the expats.
Lots of other places hiring with much better T&Cs. A simple fact.

AUH exodus
 

Ferris

Tks for your reply, I will take it from your repsonse that you guys are about 1/3 down on the roster and I believe there is still a few in thier resignation period, ouch!! Obviously, Serco is very much on the nose there:( :(

It would be a pity if they did get the contract back, they do not deserve it from what I can see. The GCAA would be better off throwing out the baby with the bathwater and giving direct hire a shot, and set the standard for the Gulf and pay at least 28,000 AED/mth +decent villa accommodation, schooling, fares, and all the usual stuff, if they are paying 2000AED per o/t shift then I do not see the difference, they are obviously able to dig deep when necessary.
remember it was not that long ago that Doha was paying less than AUH and taking on 3rd worlders as well, with no result. Then there last 2 white expats departed almost simultaneously and one was up on drug charges and they were on the bones of their arse. They finanlly realised they had to pay decent money to have a chance of snagging decent and capable staff, and I believe they are now paying 27,000 QAR /mth but the accom only avg and they still have not quite got it right, but they have the idea, so now it is time for AUH to follow. DIRECT IS BEST AND IT GIVES YOU MORE CONTROL.

On the matter of very few days off/fatigue , if there is a major deal because of this factor then you can bet ICAO will stick their nose in where the GCAA does not want it (like HK back in the 70's/80's) and they will be forced to pay with a big stick because the airspace will be blacklisted and RJ's hold on power will most likely see him on the slide, so if he has any smarts he will know what must be done and now!!

As for morale, my understanding from those who have been there over the last 15 years is that there has never been any, especially since Serco bought out IAL and some guy by the name of Grant Rumbles climbed the management ladder, and apparently has now fled the ME coup, he could see it coming.
:confused: :confused: So I ask what is your MATO (Rick Sharpe ?) doing about all this?

Anyway, I hope for you and the other guys there that things go the right way for a change.

If I am wrong about the number of staff you are short, please feel free to set the record straight.

What then are pay and conditions like in Dubai, I would have thought that the pay and conditons would have been fairly similiar to AUH as it is still a Serco contract is it not?!

TTFN

Tweety