KOREAN AIR expat pilots?
 

Hi, any KAL expat pilots here ? I need some info in private...thanks for your reply.

What's up? I am KAL, er, was KAL. Anyone that thinks it is a 3 month LWOP is delusional. The contract agency leeches sent out some rah rah material that KAL has every intention of retaining the foreign pilots but contradicted themselves by not renewing contracts that were up for renewal in May. By the way, we are kicked to the street with zero compensation, zero severance, zero benefits.

I feel terrible to see fellow aviators getting furloughed or their contracts not getting renewed but if you knew you were going to work for KAL as a contractor with no protection of Korean labor code, why do you expect to see compensation, severance and benefits?

If your pay stub says you have been paying Korean Employment Insurance, go to the Employment Insurance Agency and claim the benefits. Nothing stops you from doing so.

I didn't realise the KAL foreign pilot community were being put on unpaid leave, that's terrible news. At least some form of retainment pay would have been much fairer.

KAL pilots are on unpaid leave? Try most of the expat pilots around the world are now on unpaid leave!

Thanks for your input, Mr Lee. For the record, when I pulled up the Korean labor code prior to accepting the job I desperately needed, I discovered it was written in a language and an alphabet I do not understand and I did not have time to decode it, therefore I did not know for sure I was not protected. I appreciate there are people such as yourself that would take the time to research this answer and base your decision on whether or not to accept a position on the compensation provided by a company when you are terminated by that company.

As for the pay stub itemization, we only receive a monthly notification from the agencies that indicates the amount of money deposited in our accounts. We can request a year-end statement that assists in tax preparation but it only mentions the amount of tax paid and does not break it down so I am not sure if I have been paying Korean Employment Insurance. You are correct, nothing is preventing me from buying a ticket to Seoul, finding the Employment Insurance Agency and talking to someone there about any benefits I can claim. Great idea.

It is my understanding, that pilots at Japanese and Chinese companies have worked out voluntary leaves with some sort of income, or reduced work schedules with some sort of income, versus a clean guillotine. Korean Air did none of this.

To answer your question, I would expect any billion dollar company to exercise a level of benevolence and respect for employees they claim are part of the family or team, that have been loyal to the company and helped generate massive profits, by assisting these employees in some way instead of tossing them to the pigs as if they are worthless garbage. However, it has always been a one-way street at Korean Air, we have never had a pay raise other than the $1000 salary increase for a new 5-year contract and they do not provide any benefits such as medical insurance, so I am not surprised this street remains unidirectional, just disappointed that they choose to treat us in this fashion after so many years of loyal service to them.

How is AJX handling this situation? Have there been any furloughs or pay reductions?

Maybe have a look at the AirJapan thread......:hmm:

It's not that I do not understand the situation that expats are facing in Korea. I totally get it that you do not know Korean language and agencies did not even bother to provide you with breakdown of taxes.

Thing is, there is no compensation, severance or even benefits for locals who are on LWOP or terminated such as those guys recently terminated at EastarJet. The only thing local Koreans have is national employment insurance. That's it, I'm not kidding.

The way I understand is, expats in Korea aren't exempted from paying taxes and social securities in Korea unlike AJX pilots in Japan. It seems you are either an American or Canadian based on your English spelling. You should ask your agency if the employment insurance was part of your taxes. If so, use the bilateral social security treaty such as Totalization Agreement (U.S) or Canadian equivalent to claim unemployment benefits in your home country.

This is the only insight I can offer.

Typical Korean cutthroat, ruthless business style. Not surprising at all. That's why Korea has the highest corruption rate in the corporate ranks among the first world countries; actually, the way they act, I'm surprised Korea is even considered as a first world. Almost as bad as the Chinese. [FACT]

It's fruitless to whine and complain about Korean Air. They DO NOT CARE for the expats, let alone their own employees. They're just corrupted pigs, along with other Korean conglomerates. Korean Air (Hanjin) was already pretty much broke financially, like Asiana Kumho Group, way before this Chinese Virus started due to money-laundering and bad, mismanaged, selfish, Korean-style business practices. [FACT]

I won't get into the legal aspects concerning how you were screwed over by Korean Air and your Contract Puppet Company on Pprune because I am not a lawyer. But good luck to you and everyone else in the aviation industry.

Pretty racist comments there!

Racist - maybe.

But are they incorrect?

Just asking. :ok:

This is the truth, especially for Kumho Asiana Group. HDC will probably back off from taking over Asiana because of mounting debt OZ and its subsidiaries such as Air Busan and Air Seoul incurred. Also these carriers participated into some sort of financial deals which were not disclosed to HDC involving some high level former government officials who have been charged pending trial.

Same for HANJIN KAL owner family. They have been charged with "deliberately evading import duties of luxury goods by using company aircrafts and facilities" and other charges as assault or whatever.

Facts remain as facts. However, calling a certain nationality pigs and naming the current virus after another nation is PURE racist and it is grossly incorrect!

Stay civilised!

Spanish flu (not from Spain) Rocky Mountain fever, Hendra virus, Ebola. All named after places. Wake up flightleader. So sick of PC crap these days. Why is calling a flu from China racist?

Dont forget Asian Flu Motley flight crue, Origin Guizhou,

Regd's,

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-res...-pandemic.html

And don't forget also Korea is one of the most racist countries on earth, certainly the worst one I've been to.

I lived there a couple of years as an expat, hence I empathize to a certain extent but have u been to Australia and not being White ?

Food for thought for those who like to look at the facts.

Just saying...

Motley, please read E165 post #10 again! Calling a certain race of human pigs is nothing but racist!

The current virus has a name, COVID-19. Just like your forum name Motley, would you like to be call something else that carry your race?

It’s not racist if it’s the truth. The pig comment was ott and I don’t condone it. But naming flus, pandemics, etc., has a long history of naming by region..........


I think most would agree that this virtue signalling has gone too far.