MATCO and SATCO Terminated
 

UAE Area control center MATCO and SATCO terminated within a week of firing a ATCO Supervisor. Stromboli and Pinocchio strikes back :} . Hot news is Serco may lose contract ! :ugh:

Hi nonflier
also in the current 'Blood bath' scenario the serco contract representative has been deemed as no longer acceptable to the GCAA. His crime (in the eyes of Stromboli & Pinocchio) was that he backed up the MATCO & SATCO. Effectively a demotion.

So: MATCO, SATCO, Supervisor, Deputy Chief Engineer & a duty engineer all fired in short order meanwhile continuing power outages, no proper SMS, etc, the list of non compliance with ICAO is long.

It highlights the shabbiness and ineptness of the GCAA as an organision.

Any decision by Serco to walk away from the contract would be done on a hard headed business basis although it has always been Stromboli's ambition to get rid of Serco (Strange, considering that he is an ex Serco employee).

It would be doubtful in the current stramash that the GCAA would be viewed as a sensible employment opportunity.

Serco know how to play the game.

Sounds more like a circus than an ACC

More vacancies in Flight Global soon then?

Can others verify this, please (I am out of comms down Verci's way, atm)?

If true, this is a disgrace and needs to be raised with ICAO. Does the UAE realise that the Great Dane is embarrassing them internationally?

Furthermore, who the hell would take a job there now? Any job?

Ferris
Yep, it is true.
yep, it is a disgrace.
Not sure that ICAO would be of much use but with the FAA intention of downgrading the GCAA to Cat 2 a few cages will be rattled.

Check your pms.

Cheers:ok:

'tis further rumoured Sheikh Ahmed made some representation regarding Dubai's status and was basically told to mind his own business by the 'Deadly Duo'.

It is difficult to see see how the DG can contiunue to support these two clowns (Stromboli & Pinocchio) and have the GCAA maintain any semblance of credibility with the DCA's.

Serco are holding a 'war' cabinet at the time of writing. N.B. Serco underwrite the insurance liablity for the GCAA operation as part of the GCAA-Serco contract. In the absence of any substantive SMS at the GCAA they (Serco) would be well within their rights to withhold or withdraw this until such time as the GCAA proves itself to be fully ICAO compliant, i.e. split the Regulations and ANSP functions, have qualified PANS-OPS people write the procedures (Stromboli is not PANS-OPS qualified) and have the GCAA aquire an ANSP licence. The airports are licenced but the GCAA ANSP is not

Interesting times, indeed.


To infinity and beyond and, hopefully, back in time for a pint of Theakstones Old Peculiar.:ok:

So if serco looses the contact who will step in and take over? Not ADAC I hope, . . .. heard they like putting assistants in ATCOS positions!! . . . just so they can pay less. . . . . .. .. :oh:

Ferris,

Things may be bad but I doubt they could be worse than:

- an organisation that lies through its teeth about being fully staffed (and has everyone believe it) while the controllers get worked harder every day because there can be no public acknowledgement (TIBA, NOTAM, etc) of the reality;

- an organisation that has just determined the 'safest' operations mode is for single person night shifts with three different managers (including one who hasn't been a controller and has no idea about what we do but is responsible for resourcing, ie bonus paid for cutting resources as much as possible!) having to sign off on any increase to that;

- an organisation that is using 'light traffic' ratings to allow its much prized reorganisation to go ahead (even though stats show the sector they were going to do this for had more traffic during the night than the sector they were going to bolt it onto!)...

All these things happen with a SMS and NOONE is held responsible! Could it really be any worse in the sandpit?

Westausatc shocking thread creep, this is a much different situation as the two men in question made principled decisions not to compromise safety or the integrity of their employer Serco. There is no regulator to speak of here, no parliamentary oversight and no right to withdraw labour when there are significant breaches of contract.
So if you whinging girls who don't have the spine to take industrial action when you can do us a favour and keep to topic or your own thread.

BTW nonflier the ATCO supervisor resigned not fired, another controller was fired.

Any further info to add though Funk? How does this influence the day to day life of the coal face ATC?

Funk,

Sorry I wasn't trying to thread drift it... I was pointing out to Ferris that while it sounds bad, there are still people who want to go there - pick me!

While what's happening in the sandpit isn't good, there are things happening in other places around the world that appear to those of us stuck in them to be just as bad. Hence, there will still be people who want to move to OMAA.

As to the points you made about the environment there, all I will say is that the exact same charges could be levelled at the situation where I am.

Nothing on flightglobal yet.... Anyone know if there will be more applications called for anytime soon?? Any email addresses to send things to?

westausatc....
 

use the search function...it's been asked about a million times.
When you get to the sandpit, THEN you can have a maid to do all your work for you:ugh:
I can only echo funk's comments about the industrial state of Oz ATC...

The acting MATCO is now a local, so I think it's a fair assumption that the aforementioned duos' wishes will be carried out with no questions asked by operational management.
Basically the guys and girls on the floor will feel the whip harder than ever:ugh:

Funk a Duck, good to see your input.

Westausatc, you are an innocent not abroad!
The UAE does run like a unionised civil set up. You have absolutely no protection there.
With Serco you get three months notice and they would normally pick up on your rented apartment and also try to relocate you, although no guarantees.
With GCAA you get two months notice and that's it. If you have just happened to pay your annual rental up front, as is the norm in the UAE, of approximately $ (US) 40000 you will feel a little bit sick if you get terminated on short notice by the whim of your arabic employer.
Not exactly neat if you are a family person with kids in school and also having just paid the school fees

Serco, although not perfect, works to a decent standard while the GCAA has no standards to speak of. It is an inept and shabby organisation which treats it's staff, both local and expat, as totally expendable.

The two in question, MATCO & SATCO, have been right royally shafted as were the engineers just before them.

When you know what you are talking about come back on the forum but, until then, keep quiet.

Duck, Slainte
Funk, G'day mate

How does it affect day to day ops??

Try 6 on 1 off roster if Serco are gone.

I suppose NATS could have a nibble again.:eek: There seems to be enough ex-NATS people over there now that could have some influence although no ex managers that I know of.

AsA could leap in and save the world. They're fully staffed with competent and qualified errrr sychophants. Careful you don't trip over someone on the way out;)

is it me or is it more stable in Muscat?verci do you have a say after all those years?

BlackHawkDown

The UAE pays well but the ANS managment as exemplified by Stromboli & Pinocchio is the worst that I have ever seen. Stromboli likes to put people under pressure and derives pleasure from watching them strive to please him. As long as they don't question the published orthodoxy (think North Korea & the Dear leader) all is smooth but the moment you raise any doubt as to his omnipotence you are doomed, Both he and Pinocchio are vindictive and think of their workforce as being stupid grunts. He denigrates and diminishes people behind their backs but never to their face which is quite rich when you consider that he has only ever worked at low level units and has no PANS-OPS qualifications. Nealy all the ATCOs at the UAE ACC are better qualified and more up to date in their thinking then him.

In Muscat the pay is not so good but the managment is significantly better and brings a more human perspective to bear. I met all your top people as well as those in the UAE and the Muscat chaps definitely qualify as those you would invite to dinner, ie. SaH, SaB (the Hammersmith kid), C, etc.

I was told once by SaH that the yearly financial funding for Muscat generally runs out around the 10th month of the financial year. If that problem were to be solved Muscat would be leaps and bounds ahead of the UAE.

As it is, on a scale of 1-10 on good man management, good manners, consideration of, and how to treat people Muscat scores a 10 whereas the UAE ACC scores a zero.

The UAE is reminiscent of Mordor in the Lord of the Rings, i.e. Dark, gloomy, no light, no fun, no laughter.

Rusty Nail hit it on the head (pun intended) in an earlier post.

You may well see people returning.

Cheers:ok:

The rumours are escalating:
1. The ex ex CAISO (a local) is rumoured to be back at the GCAA as acting DANS (!). If this is true it could well be El Stupido's 'get out of jail' card as ex ex CAISO is from one of the UAE's initial 41 founding families. With this chap in his corner El Stupido is basically untouchable unless he really screws over either Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
2. The Serco contract rep, as well as now being 'persona non grata', is banned from the centre.

Time to get those hair shirts on as the ex ex CAISO now wears a short throbe.

Good luck & Salam al Aleikhum.

To infinity and beyond and, hopefully, back in time for a pint of Theakstones Old Peculiar.:ok:

The replacements for the MATCO & SATCO have been announced respectively AAH & MD.
A couple of decent guys who will make a good team but, unfortunately, as TrailBlazer noted they will not question the Diktats of the 'Gruesome twosome'
Good luck to them, at least your leave programme will be in a safe pair of hands

Cheers:ok:

El Stupido (DANS) asked the DG to extend Stromboli's contract as his (El Stupido's) advisor. The DG refused and said that if you can't do the job after having his help and advice for the last 18 months then perhaps you are not the right man for the position. If that is the case then Stromboli should be gone by June '10 leaving El Stupido to stand on his own (That'll be fun);)

Karma.:)

therat
Blimey, my New Best Friend.!!

The times they are a changin'

Yep, Rat, it will be interesting times when Stromboli goes as Pinocchio is definitely not up to the job of procedures writing, SIDS & STARS, ATS routings, well generally anything really as he can't write in english.

One would hope that he would get the 'bullet' and outside consultants would be hired.:ok:

To infinity and beyond and, hopefully, back in time to raise a glass of Thekstones Old Peculiar to my New best Friend - therat

In the cavern below the frozen Canadian Arctic, Jacques Laframboise's face showed the strain of months of intense concentration. Even yesterdays F1 race in Abu Dhabi had not sufficiently revived his mood, the empty bottles of Dom Perignon still rolling on the floor.
Intel from the middle east was arriving faster than he could process it. Things were heating up, getting closer to the edge. In the corner, Svetlana's younger sister Anastasia was fast asleep, her breathing regular now. Why couldn't Svetlana have stayed, he thought wistfully...
High above him, a lone wolf howled. Indeed, the plot thickens.

Canoehead
Actually it is Mumm de Mumm in the Paddock Club. You should try it some time, being mumm, that is!

Cheers:ok:

What you been smoking there canoehead?

Verci and therat in agreement. Things must be serious!

Hi Clipped
Yep, me and therat in agreement. That's a first, not sure if I can take the shock of a second!!!
The UAE scenario seems to me to be reminiscent of the fall of the Roman Empire with the Huns, Vandals & Visigoths (I should include our Seff Afrikan brethern in here but they generally do as they are told {ouch!,:ouch: only kidding}) breaking down the doors or so it may appear to the egocentric Stromboli, the world's most unqualified loud mouthed expert on everything. There is a time to go gracefully and a time to go disgracefully. Stromboli will, of course, choose the latter course of action which will leave his little catamite distraught. Boo Hoo:{

Cheers:ok:

To infinty and beyond and, hopefully, back in time for a pint of Theakstones Old Peculiar. N.B. If I don't get the improbabilty drive working I might have to buy therat another pint:eek:

Another one bites the dust, sounds like a Queen pantomime. Yet another Serco ATCO has been fired, this time everyone else found out before him. Well done to the new acting actors for the manner in which it was dealt.

So...........
I wonder how the exit interviews are going.....

http://www.millionaireplayboy.com/mp...9/06/ap_07.jpg

So...........
I wonder how the exit interviews are going.....

Am I the only one thinking "what on earth is going on there?!'

Morale must be in the toilet? I do hope things improve in the near future. It can't be a very nice place to work right now.

Good luck to all.

What is going on indeed??
 

Well it looks like our two friends are waging all out war on Serco. All the Serco engineers and technicians have been or will be offered contracts with GCAA,
some of them have already accepted, it remains to be seen what the rest will do, I guess it will be a case of "sign with us or get fired". As has been
said before, morale is in the sh***er and that obviously affects safety levels

Not according to Paul Baron, CEO of NATS who doesnt believe in morale and doesnt believe that general emotions linked to this affect safety. Actually, he beggers to understand why any ATCO should feel hard done by as we should be eternally greatfull to have a job and be afforded such a priveledge as to 'being paid' for this great favour.
Looks like all great ANSP dictators went to the same school of evil and afterall... he is the boss!!! :ok:

Hi therat, thanks for the uptake.

Update.
Just joined the GCAA as of 1st November as the full time Senior advisor to the DG is the ex Group Director for the Standards and Regulations Group of the CAA (UK).
He resigned his post with the CAA (UK) in August to take up this position so I would assume that the DG has serious intentions.

Could this be the start of the meltdown?

Other info:
1. The Serco No. 2 has been out to have a chat with El Stupido. It would appear to no avail whatsoever.


2. Meanwhile, upstairs at the GCAA, OaK (a local) is sitting on the fence and will not make waves, as he should, because he is the one who recommended to the DG that El Stupido should have Stromboli as his advisor. For him to now say that Stromboli should go is admitting that he made a mistake (loss of face)

3. Serco now have in their possession a copy of the original GCAA SMS manual Ver3 2006, although not quite sure what they intend to do with it as by signing off the GCAA each year in the Serco annual audit they are complicit in the state of the place!!

Shambolic verging on the the ridiculous is the only way to describe the place.

To infinity and beyond and, hopefully, back in time to see a reformed GCAA. N.B. Could be a long voyage!:ok:

Ratticus
The last time carnage like this happened was shortly after the transfer of the ACC operation from OMAA APP to the Bateen site.
Following the transfer Stromboli introduced the MANSO roster which caused the loss of 19 ATCOs out of a total of 32 in a seven month period. It also caused the loss of the Serco CATCO & the Serco Chief Engineer.
What broke the MANSO roster was the action by the local controllers of going direct to the DG to complain, perhaps it is time for them to activate again.

If the shabby dismissal of the Serco SRLG rep is indicative of the new MATCO/SATCO compliance with the regime of the 'Dear Leader' there is some way to go before things will improve.

Good luck

Jors
you removed your succinct and apposite post?
:confused:

Number 2
Re "Morale must be in the toilet".

The management attitude could best be summed up as:-

"the beatings will continue till morale improves" syndrome?:ouch:

And so the waiting continues....:ugh: Hang in there guys, lets see Serco pulling a rabbit from the proverbial hat.:ok: Tick tock, tick tock,.. I work for the bomb squad, if you see me running, try to keep up !!