Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

What's a job in helicopters pay? Does it pay? Why do you get paid more than me?
b206 driver
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Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby b206 driver » Mon Jun 7 2010, 00:28

Three pilots in south-west Victoria are being reimbursed $50,000 after an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman found they were underpaid.

The pilots – who all worked for the one company – lodged complaints with the Fair Work Ombudsman after they were underpaid wages, annual leave entitlements and allowances.

After Fair Work inspectors contacted the employer and explained its obligations, a payment plan was agreed on to ensure the workers are fully back-paid.

The largest individual underpayment was $19,500 for one of the pilots.

Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says that given the employer has co-operated and agreed to voluntarily rectify the underpayments, there will be no further action against the company involved.

Last month, a pilot based at Katherine, in the Northern Territory, was reimbursed $17,000 after Fair Work inspectors intervened on his behalf following a complaint that he was not paid for all hours worked, did not receive payment in lieu of notice or annual leave entitlements.

“Our preference is always to work with employers to educate them and help them voluntary rectify any non-compliance issues,” Mr Campbell said.

(http://www.fwo.gov.au/Media-centre/2010 ... overy.aspx)
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Queestce
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby Queestce » Mon Jun 7 2010, 02:29

Wow, that’s a fair income boost! I got $2k off the fair work people when I was underpaid, didn't even put in a complaint - assume someone else did. But one day I had an extra 2k in the account. It seems like most low hours guys expect to work for peanuts (I certainly will be), or perhaps even for free in order to get their foot in the industries door. It’s a sad fact that we pay more than your average surgeon for our training and then seemingly often walk into > 25k a year - would have thought there would be more potential cases for the ombudsmen to look into in this industry but I suppose most are just happy enough to have a job in the first place!
Crusty
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby Crusty » Mon Jun 7 2010, 03:02

Great to hear this..I have always said that in my old company if I could get blokes to work for nothing or pocket change It would be impossible NOT to make money, and these blokes love what they are doing at the same time, and you don't have to worry if they are going to show up on monday, of course they will.
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Hugh Bosh
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby Hugh Bosh » Mon Jun 7 2010, 10:23

Excellent outcome!
Bite_me
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby Bite_me » Thu Jun 10 2010, 00:32

If these are the guys I'm thinking about, they were all underpaid when the company was sold and changed hands. The previous owner thought he was a smart-arse and short changed everybody with pay in lieu etc! He picked up something in the order of $M4 and squibbled over a lousey few dollars when paying his pilots off after he had done the deed! Short memory....if he didn't have the pilots working their butts off for him, he wouldn'tve had a business worth selling not to mention his business partner who go ripped in the deal as well?
Psychlic
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby Psychlic » Thu Jun 10 2010, 02:44

Maybe thread jumping - but this is the type of thing that happens (or needs to be fixed) when employers/operators get used to guys rocking up and offering to work for hours rather than wages.

Anyone wanting to be in this game for a long time as well as a good time needs to keep an eye on how the actions of a few people can have an effect on everyone else.

Psychlic
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby SuperF » Thu Jun 10 2010, 09:14

lucky they don't have an award in NZ, otherwise all the pilots over here would have to start getting paid..... :lol:
Psychlic
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby Psychlic » Thu Jun 10 2010, 10:34

with an 85K student loan around your neck it's hardly surprising - but then how do you repay a loan without being paid a wage...
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Re: Underpaid pilots are back-paid $50,000

Postby SuperF » Thu Jun 10 2010, 21:29

when i was at uni, you didn't have to start paying back until you were no longer a student, then you only have to pay 10% of your income over a certain figure. used to be $15,000/yr but i think its about $20,000/yr now. if you make $50,000, take 20k off so 10% 0f 30k = $3,000 to pay back. interest on $80K at 5% about $4, so you aren't quite paying the interest cost... :o

the govt used to wipe the rest of the interest as long as you were working in NZ and paying your required amount. not sure on the deal now, i got rid of my uni loan yrs ago as every time i looked at my skis and mtn bike i wondered if i should have spent all that loan money on sport?? :lol: :lol:

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