Gnarly Gnu Posted December 22, 2013 Posted December 22, 2013 Hey Ian, a little OT but how do you like the MS Surface Pro? I was going to buy one but decided it's a bit too pricey given it doesn't include a couple of important items like a keyboard for example.
Admin Posted December 22, 2013 Author Posted December 22, 2013 Hey Ian, a little OT but how do you like the MS Surface? I was going to buy one but decided it's a bit too pricey given it doesn't include a couple of important items like a keyboard for example. There is a new keyboard coming out mid Jan that also includes a power pack in it which will take the Surface past the IPad in battery time...the current keyboard with it is bloody good as it is now although it does have a smallish finger pad than laptops but I have got use to using the pen with the Surface...I will do a review on it when I am not so busy
Admin Posted December 22, 2013 Author Posted December 22, 2013 One thing that I will say at this point is I like having full blown MS Office on it whether I have Internet connection or not. So from an aviation perspective, if say you do your flight planning in Excel, you will always have your flight plan available, and edit it/update it etc whether you can connect to the Internet or not. Add to this all the other Office software features with always having the latest versions of Office installed on it with Office365 and that only costs around $13.50 a month. I like! And all in just a tablet sitting on your lap
Guest Maj Millard Posted December 23, 2013 Posted December 23, 2013 So you would be working for Alliance Airlines Ian ??............Maj.....
Admin Posted February 2, 2014 Author Posted February 2, 2014 Well, I am now back in Melbourne...doing some day work for my employer from here so expect things to get back to normal right here on Recreational Flying...lots of software that is used on the site needs updating with bug fixes latest versions and lets get the all things recreational aviation and flying threads going again...forgot to mention a few weeks ago that we had our 10th Birthday, hooray 10 years of doing this for all recreational aviators and I know this site has helped many many and many flyers over the last 10 enormous fun filled years right here on Recreational Flying...YOUR world for everything you need on recreational flying
FlyingVizsla Posted February 2, 2014 Posted February 2, 2014 Happy 10th Birthday Rec Fly! Thank you Ian 1 4
planedriver Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 And so say all of us:celebrate: Thank you Ian 3
Admin Posted May 21, 2014 Author Posted May 21, 2014 Boy am I peeved...I started a 1 yr contract with Queensland Health as their PMO Manager, relocated up to Brisbane, took out a 1yr lease on an apartment, purchased furniture, fridge, washing machine etc etc etc. I booked and paid for flights back to Melb for every 2 weeks over the next few months, took out a 1yr internet access plan which took forever to get connected and settled in and got to work. This week, after 2 and a bit months in the job they came to me and said they were cancelling the contract due to budget cuts and with a measly $5k pay out. THEN, low and behold they advertise my job at LESS THAN HALF of what they were paying me but still only for a 1yr fixed term...BLOODY LESS THAN HALF of what they were paying me. They say job security in their advert but it is only a 12mth fixed term contract, what a joke. On the money they are offering I couldn't afford to rent an apartment and stay up here for that. It looks as though they wanted someone with high experience and skills to set everything up on a promise of a 1 year contract only to break it when time was right and not to mention that my contract said I was to be paid within 14 days of invoice, the first payment took 6 weeks and they still owe me 4 weeks pay So I have to try and get out of my lease, sell my almost new furniture, cancel my flights and only get 50c in the dollar back, cancel my internet and pay penalties and go back home to Melb. This site really is a full time job if it is to stay the leading resource for recreational aviators so looks like I was always destined to just keep this site going and live off Vegemite sandwiches...Boy am I peeved, to say it mildly
Kyle Communications Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 Sorry to hear that Ian. Welcome to the wonderful world of the Campbell Newman and LNP controlled Qld.....it really is a klusterf##k up here politically . The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing and it shows... 1
ave8rr Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 Sorry to hear this Ian. I would of thought that as you had a 12 month contract that they would of had to pay out the remainder of the term. Good luck with the shift back to MEL. cheers Mike
Admin Posted May 21, 2014 Author Posted May 21, 2014 Sorry to hear this Ian. I would of thought that as you had a 12 month contract that they would of had to pay out the remainder of the term. Good luck with the shift back to MEL.cheers Mike No, the only contract they would offer had a $5k "expenses" clause
facthunter Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 Not much point in having a contract then. Eff'd and far from home Eh! Just what you need... Nev
facthunter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 That can be the beginning of another problem. Nev 2
bexrbetter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 That can be the beginning of another problem. Nev How can that possibly be? Australia is still a country where the Courts take morality and fair play into consideration and I think Ian has a reasonable compensation claim. 1
facthunter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I didn't say "will" . It is a high cost system and A good outcome is not assured particularly when the other side "has DEEPER pockets than you do". Nev 1
Guest Andys@coffs Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 How can that possibly be?Australia is still a country where the Courts take morality and fair play into consideration and I think Ian has a reasonable compensation claim. If Ian signed a contract and the contract says X days notice for either party to end the agreement and a limit of $5k expenses if either party triggers the early notice clause then what exactly should he see a lawyer for? It seems that legally both he and the other party have operated the contract entirely within its clauses (excluding the slow payment reality) Reality in Australia is that contractors are used by employers for 2 separate requirements:- 1) Hard to get skills needed tomorrow, in which case they will pay through the nose for the skills but can get them much faster than a recruitment process where you know that an incumbent somewhere will need to give 4+ weeks notice. 2) for surge requirements where the surety around full time employees cant be given. In this case the contracted hourly rate will exceed the FTE hourly rate because there is no sick leave, annual leave or surety..... Even when tested against morality it probably passes because Ian was probably getting an hourly rate well in excess of an FTE equivalent rate as compensation..... It still sucks though, I was told by a successful contractor that $$ should only be spent by a contractor after the hours have already been provided and the customer agrees to pay them. Anything in advance is a risk in that it may simply not be forthcoming. Any education or skills advancement needs to be done at your cost because no one is going to spend training $ on a contractor.....
bexrbetter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 It still sucks though,..... You answered it yourself. Courts make decisions all the time that overule what's on paper, as a I mentioned, Oz is one of the few countries in the world where you can act on a genuine hardship claim, be thankful for it. 1
facthunter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I Don't agree. At best you will get LAW. but that isn't necessarily justice. I've even seen laws changed retrospectively when the gov't is involved. You have been around for a while Bex. How come you still believe in the system doing the right thing? Nev 1
bexrbetter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 How come you still believe in the system doing the right thing? I've seen some good things happen I guess and I don't think we should stop believing in at least some facets of the "system". I think the only side of the system many see is from traffic related matters and I certainly agree you seem to get no where through the Courts with those matters.
facthunter Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I guess you can always hope. The tally from where I sit would not justify much of it though. Nev
metalman Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I've been a contractor on and off most of my life, if it's over it's over ,it may suck ,but fighting in the courts might make a person unwanted for future companies, it's not nice but it's how it is , my suggestion is just lick your wounds and move on, long term it's smarter Matty 1 2
jakej Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 Too true Matty - it seems to be the case that if you 'want justice you better be able to afford it', I know that from experience. Jake J 1
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