Labour Board?

Jaded but still pushing · Sat Mar 27, 2004 4:42 pm

Pop Quiz,

You have an employer who's quietly trying to push you out so that someone who will work essentially for free can take over your job.

By quietly I mean, not returning your phone calls and reducing your schedule .. the employee who's taking over is the one who calls you to inform you of these changes.

You have a work history with this employer which is sterling .. no absenteeism, no lates, no damage to a/c.

Normally the reaction would be to tell the employer to work it slowly up his colon .. but if you do so you are effectively torpedoing the reference.

Do you call the labour board in order to have a file .. tell the employer that if he says anything negative about you to future callers you unleash the hounds of the labour board? .. then tell him to colonoscopize his job?

Or do you suck it up and flat spot the tires, run full rich at FL's, lean like a madman below 1000' and write snags like "no kleenex, or aircraft smells funny" in the journey log?

Though tongue in cheek I'm serious .. this f-ing problem is really messing with my head and I don't know what to do.

I've worked for this a-hole almost 2 years now and don't think ticking off "no" on the "can we contact your past employer for reference" box looks good when you're sitting hat in hand looking for work ..

Any replies appreciated,

SplitS · Post by **SplitS** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 4:54 pm

Jaded,

You can fight or you can cut your losses and find another job. Then anonymously denounce him once youre gone. If you fight him head on you'll lose somehow, as you pointed out. As good as it will feel to tell him to explore his own colon with his tongue, it may come back to haunt you.

You would have to leave after anyways b/c he would ensure you would be miserable.

Others will tell you to fight it all the way - what's it worth to you? Is this job so worth it?

Only you know...

neiva · Post by **neiva** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 6:24 pm

Whants an advice :

Don't do nothing until get another job, remember to never close doors behind you...or should I say burn bridges ?

Do your best until get another chance, them run away but in peace

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 6:40 pm

When you leave give at least two weeks notice, and document it.

Cat

KENNYR · Post by **KENNYR** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 7:40 pm

Jaded, Face the man and ask him why your schedule has been reduced. Make sure that you have a small tape recorder in your top pocket, turned on of course, and record what he says.

Dont do anything rash until you are sure of what you want to do. DO NOT under any circumstances deliberately hurt the aircraft, you dont know who will fly it after you.

I feel for you buddy, and its a real shame that employers do this just for the almighty dollar!!

FA28 guy · Post by **FA28 guy** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 7:50 pm

I have found that employers who habitually abuse there empoyees get it back sooner or later. This comunity is small once the word gets out of how he treats people he will start having trouble getting qualified help. Then when he calls back be hard to get hold off.

OW · Post by OW » Sat Mar 27, 2004 8:08 pm

Contact the labour board. Tell them that you suspect your employer is trying to squeeze you out. They will ask you to explain.

Are you really getting less time relative to other pilots? Is this other pilot new and getting time even though you and the other pilots are no where near timed out? Etc.

Be sure you have your case well in hand before you call and sound like a complainer. There are definitely cases where the employer squeezes an employee out. Be sure that is the case before you comit to the Board.

Cutting your hours with no apparant reason could be construed as constructive dismissal.

If you have not been formally written up by your employer then he may be trying to get you to quit so he can replace you with someone he likes better.

If you are just the victim of a natural slowdown in business, you don't want to make waves.

Good Luck.

KENNYR · Post by **KENNYR** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 9:24 pm

FA28 guy, I have to disagree with you........there will always be a desperate low-timer out there who will jump at a job, regardless of what the employer or his reputation is like. This employer is laughing all the way to the bank. The Labour Board could just take the smirk of the fat-cats face or even the threat of it.

OW.....you are absolutely correct........get all the ducks in a row before contacting the Board and only after you are sure about your facts, make your move. I still think that a face to face may be fruitful.

FA28 guy · Post by **FA28 guy** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 9:29 pm

Kennyr you certainly have a right to disagree. i have found that in the long run they will get it. Anyway someone is always in the wings trying to get that freee twin hour eventually that source will dry up as people get word of the reputation. Since I'm out of the rat race maybe I have more patience to wait it out. On the other hand if the employer thinks everyone is out to nail him document his every move maybe he'll invent performace bonds and train fees to protect himself. (I know it already has)
It would be nice if there was a middle road.

FamilyGuy · Post by **FamilyGuy** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 11:09 pm

Your union rep will know how to handle this. Talk to them first. Oh wait, I forgot, some of you guys here dont see a need for unions anymore. Hmmmm

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 11:43 pm

you have been given a lot of good advice, mostly about covering your bases and then leave if you have to. But I would like to suggest that if you are being forced out as you claim and there is nothing you can do about it, go out fighting, legal and ethical, but fighting. Like, on the last day, snag everthing you possibaly can on the airplane. Make sure it is a legitimate snag but write it up. Best is if you can snag things that are worn out rather than broken. Engine burns oil as opposed to overtemp on start. People have short memories and bad word doesn't travel as far as you might think. People who do as you say are afraid to spend money and fixing the airplane rubs them the wrong way. What you are doing is ensuring the safety of the operation and ensuring the safety of your fellow pilots by bringing to their attention defeciencys in the airplane. At least that is my two cents worth.