Who thinks being staff will save their bacon in a downturn?

[James McLauchlan]

I’m not sure that being a staffer offers the security that some people think it might. Under the current offshore work climate, if anything, day raters are more likely to remain in work (somewhere within the market) than stafffers. Companies are shying away from fixed liabilities, like staffers, in favour of a more flexible labour force that day raters offer.

I’ve never been staff and never will be. It’s worked for me for longer than I care to mention and will continue to do so.

[piper]

So true, as a day-rater in one of the big companies I got a letter basically saying they wont be work for a while so I was free to go find work so long as I informed them where I was for availability purposes blah blah blah. Good thing is I immediately got a job with this other co and am offshore now. Didnt bother though with the BS of telling anyone who I was with.

[Richard Browne]

What I find very strange is that there is hardly any discussion on ROVworld about the current work climate..Is it dead,is it quiet or is it busy..Wouldnt this be a good place to discuss this..From what I can understand it is pretty dead at the moment and not looking good for lots of ROV people for the for seeable future…I think guys who have been with one company for a long time will be in a better position, as companies will use them first..Alot of freelance guys work for the agencies who dont seem to have much on at all now…where is it all going?, I wonder.

[Roy Simson]

Well I have been free lance well over 40 years and never been on staff and like James said it does not matter if your staff or free lance if the work is not there your out the door .

In 1986 we saw this when the price of oil went to 9$ a barrel staff or day rate you were out the door !

Thousands were laid off , Rigs were stacked and Barges and support vessels all were put at anchor .My view for what its worth is the season will be slow but there will be work available as already I have had 5 offers of work so work is there .

As I have said to you many times you need to search and I don’t means the main line Rov company’s , I mean the smaller company’s that have just bought a Rov got a project and now need experience crew .

But if you just wait until a agency phones you your have a long wait or there phone you all with the same jobs and offering you silly rates .

The choice is yours .

[James McLauchlan]

Another point of note is, during a downturn, the Operators will skinny back on spending as much as they can. They have in the past and they are now.

When there is more cash around they will have a lot of catch up to do offshore on delayed/postponed projects. End result?.. people will have left the industry in droves in a couple of preceding years and there will be a shortage of decent ROV types for a few years after that.

[Savante]

if you think it’s bad in Aberdeen, Scotland, you should read this for Perth, Australia.

Will costs savings help Woodside Petroleum Limited?

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/woodside-chevron-to-shed-2000-jobs-as-oil-price-fall-hits-industry/story-e6frg9df-1227277139149

[Sit Rep]

Hi Savante,

Cheers for that but 2nd link is only available to subscribers, at least here in Oz.

All the best

[Savante]

Hey sitrep, I didn’t have a subscription – try using a proxy access – (I’d just google proxy access).

[Author]

Posts