What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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Donīt want to ruin your rant there...but there are plenty of pilots out there, desperately looking for a job, as the business is fading with so many companies either closing, or reducing their expenses......so feel free and go ahead and quit-but donīt believe for a second that anyone will later say "This guy had balls-he resigned".......you will be replaced in no time, and find yourself joining the long queue of pilots looking for jobs...
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Why quit and let them have their cake and eat it too?
You can go on sick leave, get paid and stay at home looking for another job. Then, after six months of this and HR threatens, you can return and "eat it" or quit.
But quiting right away is exactly what they are looking for: getting rid of expats at zero cost. And don't be surprised that if and when you quit they cancel your return ticket home "because you have not honored your comtract" and then have to pay for your own. Don't believe it? Try it! If they pull sh*t like that, who are you gonna complain to? Amnesty International? ha ha ha
You can go on sick leave, get paid and stay at home looking for another job. Then, after six months of this and HR threatens, you can return and "eat it" or quit.
But quiting right away is exactly what they are looking for: getting rid of expats at zero cost. And don't be surprised that if and when you quit they cancel your return ticket home "because you have not honored your comtract" and then have to pay for your own. Don't believe it? Try it! If they pull sh*t like that, who are you gonna complain to? Amnesty International? ha ha ha
Nigerian In Law
3r1st0w4eva,
They will never cancel your return ticket home, that would defeat the object ! Unless the T & Cs have dramatically changed since I left you're on a 60 or 90 day contract. Sick pay and it's duration are at the discretion of the company. You don't have a leg to stand on if they want you gone, but if they don't you're completely secure.
Having said that, it's a simple issue; supply and demand. Currently there is a plentiful supply and dwindling demand
NEO
They will never cancel your return ticket home, that would defeat the object ! Unless the T & Cs have dramatically changed since I left you're on a 60 or 90 day contract. Sick pay and it's duration are at the discretion of the company. You don't have a leg to stand on if they want you gone, but if they don't you're completely secure.
Having said that, it's a simple issue; supply and demand. Currently there is a plentiful supply and dwindling demand
NEO
I worked there over 10 years. Could see the writing on the wall but turned down the voluntary redundancy. Got home a hitch to two later and found an e-mail saying I was all done. Things got a little complicated getting my stuff back. If they had had the balls to tell me up front,
I could have packed the stuff I wanted and left the rest. It took a while, but as far as I know I got it all. At least the good stuff. Must have cost a lot to ship it. They could have saved money by being up front and above board. As NEO says, supply and demand.
I could have packed the stuff I wanted and left the rest. It took a while, but as far as I know I got it all. At least the good stuff. Must have cost a lot to ship it. They could have saved money by being up front and above board. As NEO says, supply and demand.
don't be surprised that if and when you quit they cancel your return ticket home
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I totally agree with NEO.
It's funny, I don't remember anyone whining about their contract being changed to 6/6 without their consent during the good times. Let's get real and smell the coffee. BRS share price has gone from around $75 2 years ago to around $11 now as they have felt the impact of the oil price slump. 8/4 is better than 0/52.
As NEO says, your actual contract is 60 or 90 days and they could just dismiss you. I guess that as an expat, you're on a contract with a non-Nigerian company. If you're fraudulently claiming to be sick without the medical paperwork to back it up, have you considered that you could be sued for fraud? These things work both ways but I always found Bristow willing to talk things over and try to reach a reasonable compromise. After all, you're still getting the additional CLA for days on site, have medical insurance and a reasonable pension scheme.
Not only would they never cancel your return flight, as far as I remember, under Nigerian law, they couldn't - as an expat the company which employs you is responsible for repatriating you to your home country.
As a number of contributors have said, it's supply and demand
It's funny, I don't remember anyone whining about their contract being changed to 6/6 without their consent during the good times. Let's get real and smell the coffee. BRS share price has gone from around $75 2 years ago to around $11 now as they have felt the impact of the oil price slump. 8/4 is better than 0/52.
As NEO says, your actual contract is 60 or 90 days and they could just dismiss you. I guess that as an expat, you're on a contract with a non-Nigerian company. If you're fraudulently claiming to be sick without the medical paperwork to back it up, have you considered that you could be sued for fraud? These things work both ways but I always found Bristow willing to talk things over and try to reach a reasonable compromise. After all, you're still getting the additional CLA for days on site, have medical insurance and a reasonable pension scheme.
Not only would they never cancel your return flight, as far as I remember, under Nigerian law, they couldn't - as an expat the company which employs you is responsible for repatriating you to your home country.
As a number of contributors have said, it's supply and demand
Supply and demand it may be but there are other options that would not cause such distress to those with young families. The world has changed and for the majority of western workers and their families 8/4 is no longer acceptable. Do we really want to wind the clock back 20 years? how far will it go? 11.5 / 0.5 as per many Filipino migrant workers? Sadly not much we can do about it except leave but forget any bull**** about Bristow being a caring employer ( or even safety conscious given that people are going to have to fly for 3 months knowing they are about to lose their jobs ). Almost makes you want to join a union!
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Sorry if it came off as a rant, it wasn't supposed to be. I was just stating the facts!
I agree totally with captain catastrophy, 8 and 4 is just not acceptable to a lot of people these days, me included. With travel, and training time included its more like 9 and 3.
How many of you old boys who think 8 and 4 was OK are still married to your first wife, or even your second for that matter?
I am not bad mouthing Bristow, I have no delusions of grandeur, I would just rather stack shelves for minimum wage than spend 12 weeks a year with my family.
I agree totally with captain catastrophy, 8 and 4 is just not acceptable to a lot of people these days, me included. With travel, and training time included its more like 9 and 3.
How many of you old boys who think 8 and 4 was OK are still married to your first wife, or even your second for that matter?
I am not bad mouthing Bristow, I have no delusions of grandeur, I would just rather stack shelves for minimum wage than spend 12 weeks a year with my family.
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Never mind, the great rumour mill has it that our water landing hero pilot will be moving on to line training. It's good that Bristow has someone who'll be able to demonstrate water landings (presumably in Lekki Lagoon). A great advance in safety which, together with RUOK day will contribute greatly to Target Zero 
Mike Norris, during a visit to Nigeria, once stated Bristow would go to 6/6 when it could no longer crew the Operations on 8/4.
I am quite sure nothing has changed in the Company's thinking.
For those who do not know who Mike Norris is....he was one of the Big Oggah's in Redhill for many years and a very nice fellow.
I am quite sure nothing has changed in the Company's thinking.
For those who do not know who Mike Norris is....he was one of the Big Oggah's in Redhill for many years and a very nice fellow.
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The TREs are the ones most likely to hurt the operation. They are the most qualified to get outside employment. Then the company is left with zero training. Seems all TREs have irons in the fire.
With Aero on its knees and Arik collapsing, Bristow are ferrying guys to/from Lagos in an S92.
There is a certain irony in asking what future can there be for Africa's largest economy?
There is a certain irony in asking what future can there be for Africa's largest economy?
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Hang in there, guys. Maybe we will see someone starting up another shuttle operation using Twotters, about the maximum the Nigerian market can support.
Lufthansa does still operate the JU-52, so perhaps Aero could do a re-launch using Piper Aztecs to and from Warri Airstrip? If that works out, an upgrade to Navajos should follow. Has anyone got the contact details for Herman Wilbrink?
Oh, God ... you can laugh or you can cry ....
Lufthansa does still operate the JU-52, so perhaps Aero could do a re-launch using Piper Aztecs to and from Warri Airstrip? If that works out, an upgrade to Navajos should follow. Has anyone got the contact details for Herman Wilbrink?
Oh, God ... you can laugh or you can cry ....
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The only reasons for these changes were simply because:
a/ The clients stated that for health and safety reasons, 8/4 was simply too long to be working in Nigeria which is why their employees were already on equal time and
b/ Bristow was losing too many employees either through sickness, stress or simply people getting a better deal elsewhere.
Yes, many people will stick it out on the new enforced contract but do you really want pilots and engineers who are not happy at work, getting tired and stressed at work and are only there until something better comes along?
All in all, it's not really in keeping with the "Target zero" mantra is it?
I fear Chuks is having a Gulder Flashback episode!
Aztecs into Warri Downtown maybe....but out would be a thrill I bet.
Perhaps a discrete air operation using C-123 Providers might open up service in Nigeria, one which needs a presence but does not worry about profitability, which might work fine.
I remember such an operation from Years ago that used Volpars.
Aztecs into Warri Downtown maybe....but out would be a thrill I bet.
Perhaps a discrete air operation using C-123 Providers might open up service in Nigeria, one which needs a presence but does not worry about profitability, which might work fine.
I remember such an operation from Years ago that used Volpars.
Nigerian In Law
Memories Are Made Of This....
Ah, a lump swells in my throat; one day when I was hitching a lift to WT Alistair Gamley told me he would demonstrate a full flaps approach into CW, aka Warri Airstrip. It felt like an autorotation and we landed full stop on the piano keys with the stopped traffic gazing at us from either side. Took me about an hour and a lot of Star to realign my guts.
Then there was the time an ACN Twotter couldn't be pushed back for departure because a passengers' "girlfriend" had stripped naked and was laid behind the nose wheel.
Someone should write a book about life in Nigeria back in the day.
NEO
Then there was the time an ACN Twotter couldn't be pushed back for departure because a passengers' "girlfriend" had stripped naked and was laid behind the nose wheel.
Someone should write a book about life in Nigeria back in the day.
NEO
Nigerian In Law
Yes & No
Agreed, however given the global situation with oil and the effect on associated industries coupled with the chronic issues anyone who has worked in Nigeria knows about, this is not exactly unexpected.
Some people were unhappy when all the (then) aviation support companies went to 7/5 then 6/6 for various reasons, some domestic, some financial or for whatever personal issues. It was a "sign of the times" and the options were to take it or leave it.
With the oil price stabilised at it's current level but a large producer like Iran about to return to the global market we continue to see a massive restructuring which will only become more acute.
Now, as then, it's a simple choice; take it or leave it. With the amount of available openings dwindling I know what I'd do.
Those shelves are in need of stacking............. but I won't be doing it.
NEO
Some people were unhappy when all the (then) aviation support companies went to 7/5 then 6/6 for various reasons, some domestic, some financial or for whatever personal issues. It was a "sign of the times" and the options were to take it or leave it.
With the oil price stabilised at it's current level but a large producer like Iran about to return to the global market we continue to see a massive restructuring which will only become more acute.
Now, as then, it's a simple choice; take it or leave it. With the amount of available openings dwindling I know what I'd do.
Those shelves are in need of stacking............. but I won't be doing it.
NEO
Last edited by Nigerian Expat Outlaw; 14th Sep 2016 at 23:19.