Bsa Ltd Is Desperate To Find Foxtel Installers Offering $3000 Start-up Bonus

[Lifestyle Communications S]

I'm an Optus subbie working for Stream.

I can tell you they are all just as bad as one another. Optus say jump, Stream say "how high...?". The $$ is somewhat better at Stream doing the Optus project but we have absolutley no say whatsoever in how things are done. The Union attempted to get involved some time ago prior to the new contract being signed however the main issue I found was there were too many GUTLESS techs not prepared to stand up and take these goons on, rather they are happy to be **** on and so the rest of us suffer.

whadya do...?

[Zathras]

The Union attempted to get involved some time ago prior to the new contract being signed however the main issue I found was there were too many GUTLESS techs not prepared to stand up and take these goons on, rather they are happy to be **** on and so the rest of us suffer.

whadya do...?

Yep, that's the problem. They like being shafted by the contract company and are too chicken to stand up for what is right!

[rhyno79]

With only a simple Restricted Cable license and no formal qualifications as you mentioned, 3 Satellite iQ installations a day, you too can make good money. You are out of the industry so you no longer have any idea. If you run away from a job, I don't, you won't make the god money. Anyway, my QA doesn't visit me and what they are paid is not my issue.

Steven1, enjoy what ever you are doing, I am.

I would like to know what you and steven1 consider good money, it seems like they would be very different figures.

Personally, if I could make 50K (before tax) a year after expenses for a 40 hour week i'd be happy, but i having never worked in this industry i really dont know what the conditions are like, sounds pretty poor.

[Lifestyle Communications S]

The contractors only have themselves to blame, I know, I am one. Most of them are ****ing cowards! They are obviously all so well off that they don't need to to take action so until they stand up why would'nt the contract companies take whatever they can, I would.

I have no sympathy for any of them. I tried in vain to get the union involved with the Optus project some months ago and yet only a handful showed up at the Meetings. That being said, the Union sends one it's irrelevant goons along to hand out pamphlets one a month or whatever and expects Techs to be interested. The workload at Optus recently has been nothing short of a disgrace, yet while many of the Techs whinge and sook they simply go on day by day expecting things will get better.

UNDERSTAND THIS -> Communication and contract companies will do whatever they like, whenever they like until contractors stand together and say "NO, no more of this ****!!" Until then they can suffer.........

[Sidor]

UNDERSTAND THIS -> Communication and contract companies will do whatever they like, whenever they like until contractors stand together and say "NO, no more of this ****!!" Until then they can suffer.........

they will never suffer !

When they will suffer techs will be either broke or already leave business!

When BSA ended last financial year with not good enough profit, they "invented" fines/tickets which are not even mentioned in contract and start sending them to techs to improve their financial situation ...

Are you still on Optus ?

They are some roumours that Optus completely will leave PayTV ? Anything on that ?

[Lifestyle Communications S]

they will never suffer !

When they will suffer techs will be either broke or already leave business!

When BSA ended last financial year with not good enough profit, they "invented" fines/tickets which are not even mentioned in contract and start sending them to techs to improve their financial situation ...

Are you still on Optus ?

They are some roumours that Optus completely will leave PayTV ? Anything on that ?

I have heard rumours but I dont know for sure. Most of us would be happy to see it go back to Foxtel, it is a pain in the ass of a product anyways....

[Guest auspool.net]

my name is daniel

i have been interested in this industry, with the veiw to go on to home theatre or the likes

i have been attending courses needed to gain my open registration ticket

then i was ready to go into installing foxtel

and recently found this forum and some other information

and things look bad in the industry

after all my training

and deductions you guys talk about ( phone etc )

will i be earning around $900 after tax for 40 hours/week

if so i think this is quite good

bsa told me that training will be around 3 weeks

then a further 4 weeks till i see my first pay

is this correct ?

if so do you think a loan to set up is a good idea or bad idea ?

i really need some help other wise i think i need to look at other jobs

trying to stay out of the glass industry been there 15 years now

thanks in advance

daniel d

[mtv]

I think it's a matter of reading as many opinions as you can from those who are currently installing for them and those who are no longer installing for them and then deciding for yourself.

I personally would not recommend borrowing money to set up, as there are NO guarantees of income levels or ongoing work.

[Sidor]

and deductions you guys talk about ( phone etc )

will i be earning around $900 after tax for 40 hours/week

if so i think this is quite good

daniel d

Who told you about $900 after tax ? BSA ?

I heard that BSA is telling everyone that they will be making $6000 per fortnight ... What a BShit !!!

To make you $900/wk after tax you need to make around $65k a year before tax and if you add cost of material - at least $35k it will be $100k ...

Now you can ask BSA how many jobs you have to do a day to make $100k a year ...

My mate is currently work for BSA ... last week he got $750 payment from BSA for fortnight, hte one before it was $900 and he is already 2 years with them - do you own calculations ...

[config]

my name is daniel

i have been interested in this industry, with the veiw to go on to home theatre or the likes

i have been attending courses needed to gain my open registration ticket

then i was ready to go into installing foxtel

and recently found this forum and some other information

and things look bad in the industry

after all my training

and deductions you guys talk about ( phone etc )

will i be earning around $900 after tax for 40 hours/week

if so i think this is quite good

bsa told me that training will be around 3 weeks

then a further 4 weeks till i see my first pay

is this correct ?

if so do you think a loan to set up is a good idea or bad idea ?

i really need some help other wise i think i need to look at other jobs

trying to stay out of the glass industry been there 15 years now

thanks in advance

daniel d

Daniel, this industry can be rewarding with the right approach and attitude, don't count on to much assistance from the contract companies though because once in the system you become a number like anyone else. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn new skills and then look at new ways of applying them.

I have been a contractor and have experienced the same issues raised by others, I have since got out of pay tv ( nearly anyway ) and I'm doing very nicely with home theatre amongst other things. If I didn't do the hard yards learning the ropes then I wouldn't be were I am now, pay tv has given me the opportunity to advance, and for that I am grateful.

[config]

my name is daniel

i have been interested in this industry, with the veiw to go on to home theatre or the likes

i have been attending courses needed to gain my open registration ticket

then i was ready to go into installing foxtel

and recently found this forum and some other information

and things look bad in the industry

after all my training

and deductions you guys talk about ( phone etc )

will i be earning around $900 after tax for 40 hours/week

if so i think this is quite good

bsa told me that training will be around 3 weeks

then a further 4 weeks till i see my first pay

is this correct ?

if so do you think a loan to set up is a good idea or bad idea ?

i really need some help other wise i think i need to look at other jobs

trying to stay out of the glass industry been there 15 years now

thanks in advance

daniel d

Oh yeah, nearly forgot.

Be very careful about taking out any loans until you know exactly what you are in for.

Most of the guy's i worked with seem to be stuck in the system because they have over committed financially and can't walk away if it doesn't work out. Good luck.

[cejay]

+1 to Config. The guy who's worked on my HT setup I met through a Pay TV install. His attitude impressed me, so when I needed help mounting the system his was the first (and only) number I called. So for a small loss leading Foxtel install he gained extra work down the track.

[Guest auspool.net]

Who told you about $900 after tax ? BSA ?

I heard that BSA is telling everyone that they will be making $6000 per fortnight ... What a BShit !!!

To make you $900/wk after tax you need to make around $65k a year before tax and if you add cost of material - at least $35k it will be $100k ...

Now you can ask BSA how many jobs you have to do a day to make $100k a year ...

My mate is currently work for BSA ... last week he got $750 payment from BSA for fortnight, hte one before it was $900 and he is already 2 years with them - do you own calculations ...

no one told me anything about $i900 / week

it was a question i am asking you guys

and wouldnt there be someone on here that would be able to say how many jobs per day and hours

it takes them to earn $100k

please give or point me in the direction of any information i may need to help make my mind up

daniel d

[Zathras]

please give or point me in the direction of any information i may need to help make my mind up

I did take out a $40k startup loan and had it paid off in 15 months.

[mtv]

I did take out a $40k startup loan and had it paid off in 15 months.

But were you also clearing $65K P/A after expenses, including paying the loan, during that 15 months?

[Sidor]

I did take out a $40k startup loan and had it paid off in 15 months.

can pay it out in 4-5 months without eating or spleepping ... and working 14 hours a day ...

Do not think it worths it

[Zathras]

can pay it out in 4-5 months without eating or spleepping ... and working 14 hours a day ...

Do not think it worths it

I never worked 14 hours a day. 8 max, usually 6 or less and paying myself $600pw nett.

But were you also clearing $65K P/A after expenses, including paying the loan, during that 15 months?

At $600pw nett, proabably not, lol

Edited April 9, 2008 by vk6xlr

[VicTech]

I'm an Optus subbie working for Stream.

I can tell you they are all just as bad as one another. Optus say jump, Stream say "how high...?". The $$ is somewhat better at Stream doing the Optus project but we have absolutley no say whatsoever in how things are done. The Union attempted to get involved some time ago prior to the new contract being signed however the main issue I found was there were too many GUTLESS techs not prepared to stand up and take these goons on, rather they are happy to be **** on and so the rest of us suffer.

whadya do...?

I work for Stream (subbie) as well and haven't been doing it for long. They put me on CAU recovery for 2 months and they owe me thousands and I haven't seen a cent sice I started there. Very many unhappy subbies there at the moment going broke as there isn't much work as well. Happy to chat at some point in time. I am taking action!!

[Sidor]

CAU recovery

what is it ?

is it just some sort of penalty that they do not give you jobs ?

but 2 months ... sheet, that's long !

[Sidor]

my name is daniel

i have been interested in this industry, with the veiw to go on to home theatre or the likes

i have been attending courses needed to gain my open registration ticket

then i was ready to go into installing foxtel

and recently found this forum and some other information

and things look bad in the industry

after all my training

and deductions you guys talk about ( phone etc )

will i be earning around $900 after tax for 40 hours/week

if so i think this is quite good

bsa told me that training will be around 3 weeks

then a further 4 weeks till i see my first pay

is this correct ?

if so do you think a loan to set up is a good idea or bad idea ?

i really need some help other wise i think i need to look at other jobs

trying to stay out of the glass industry been there 15 years now

thanks in advance

daniel d

Foxtel sub-contractors get bad deal

A steady stream of communications sub-contractors has been coming to the CEPU in recent times, fed up with conditions in their sector of the industry.

The latest group to approach the union has been subbies working for Broadcasting Service Australia (BSA). BSA provides services to cable-TV provider Foxtel, itself part-owned by Telstra.

The subbies signed up by BSA are promised plenty of work and an income after expenses of around $84,000 a year for a six day week. But they have found that, in practice, getting this sort of income out of the job is like getting blood out of a stone.

For a start, the flow of work isn’t predictable and subbies often don’t get to do the number of jobs that they have expected. This is often through no fault of their own. Recently, for instance, BSA has had difficulties with a new customer service software system with the result that work orders were allocated haphazardly. Some subbies were getting too many jobs and some were getting nothing at all.

Changes to work practices can also affect work flow.

BSA now requires all its subbies to provide and wear proper safety harness when working at heights. The CEPU of course supports this measure but it should be recognised that it has the potential to increase the amount of time it takes to do a job.BSA subbies report that the company doesn’t take such issues into account.

Then there is the squeeze on earnings from such practices as the van audit. All BSA subbies must provide their own materials (van, equipment, spares, laptop etc) which are bought directly from BSA.

According to the subbies, when a van is called in for an audit all parts and spares will be checked. If it is found that the price of a part has gone up since the subbie bought it, he will be charged the difference between the old and new price, even if the part was bought legitimately months before at the then correct price.

Such problems and practices highlight the vulnerability of this group of workers. Sub-contracting is all about making them bear all the commercial risks associated with work in the telecommunications industry – not BSA, or Foxtel, or Telstra.

The CEPU believes that sub-contractors need to be organised to deal with these issues – they can’t be solved by individual workers on their own. That is why the union is supporting the creation of an independent association for communications subbies. To find out more about it, contact your state branch.

[neversaydie]

Foxtel sub-contractors get bad deal

A steady stream of communications sub-contractors has been coming to the CEPU in recent times, fed up with conditions in their sector of the industry.

The latest group to approach the union has been subbies working for Broadcasting Service Australia (BSA). BSA provides services to cable-TV provider Foxtel, itself part-owned by Telstra.

The subbies signed up by BSA are promised plenty of work and an income after expenses of around $84,000 a year for a six day week. But they have found that, in practice, getting this sort of income out of the job is like getting blood out of a stone.

For a start, the flow of work isn’t predictable and subbies often don’t get to do the number of jobs that they have expected. This is often through no fault of their own. Recently, for instance, BSA has had difficulties with a new customer service software system with the result that work orders were allocated haphazardly. Some subbies were getting too many jobs and some were getting nothing at all.

Changes to work practices can also affect work flow.

BSA now requires all its subbies to provide and wear proper safety harness when working at heights. The CEPU of course supports this measure but it should be recognised that it has the potential to increase the amount of time it takes to do a job.BSA subbies report that the company doesn’t take such issues into account.

Then there is the squeeze on earnings from such practices as the van audit. All BSA subbies must provide their own materials (van, equipment, spares, laptop etc) which are bought directly from BSA.

According to the subbies, when a van is called in for an audit all parts and spares will be checked. If it is found that the price of a part has gone up since the subbie bought it, he will be charged the difference between the old and new price, even if the part was bought legitimately months before at the then correct price.

Such problems and practices highlight the vulnerability of this group of workers. Sub-contracting is all about making them bear all the commercial risks associated with work in the telecommunications industry – not BSA, or Foxtel, or Telstra.

The CEPU believes that sub-contractors need to be organised to deal with these issues – they can’t be solved by individual workers on their own. That is why the union is supporting the creation of an independent association for communications subbies. To find out more about it, contact your state branch.

[neversaydie]

Sidor,

It is clear that you are a very disillusioned person but it is time to stop whingeing and start doing. I am a sparkie who decided 5 years ago to become a technician/installer/contractor with BSA and from day 1 at various meetings and stocktakes was subjected to techs' whingeing their tits off about rates etc.

BSA/Downer/Foxtel techs' have been ripped off for the last 10 years. In 1996 pay TV techs' were being paid $160 per install with all materials supplied by East Coast TV. Contrast that with today's rate which, according to the BSA contractor intro on their website, is $80 nett of materials with an annual net income of $76K which incidentally, according to their own documents, was $78K in 2001. This annual income is based on 3.5 installs per day, 6 days per week for 46 weeks, deduct from this running costs for vehicle,insurance,super,phone,tools,ladders,meters etc. etc. and you are left with an income of approx. $36k, which for the responsibility involved, is a pittance. When I was confronted for the umpteenth time, in August last year, by a tech whingeing I decided, following consultations with other senior techs, that we neede to call a meeting of techs to air the issues and determine a plan of action. A list of greivances was compiled and forwarded to BSA and the techs asked me to act as spokesman at a meeting with management. The response of BSA was basically it was all the fault of Foxtel re rates and other issues were simply dismissed.

BSA hoped that it would go away as it has in the past and since February have refused to provide me with work. I have been told that I am not terminated, not suspended, have committed no transgressions but will not supply me with work and will not provide me with a reason but unlike other techs in the past I am not walking away. Techs need to understand that they are being ripped off to the tune of $1500 due to manipulation of the rates by BSA.

The techs in our area are keen to take action and we have had several meetings but because we only represent a small area of approx. 50 techs a strike without the support of the capital cities would be futile. However, this may not yet be necessary as having carried out research to try to resolve the problem I believe I have found a way. I urge all techs to contact me so that I can give you all the info. on neversaydie47@live.com.au

[DrP]

Why a decent sparkie would sign up with BSA to cop all the sh*t they that hand out and the long hours and only come out with an imaginary $75k / year is beyond me. A decent sparky can pull a confirmed $100k / year out at the coal mines in QLD....

[neversaydie]

Why a decent sparkie would sign up with BSA to cop all the sh*t they that hand out and the long hours and only come out with an imaginary $75k / year is beyond me. A decent sparky can pull a confirmed $100k / year out at the coal mines in QLD....

A decent sparky will always take a stand against ruthless intimadatory bastards like BSA and I have no doubts that decent sparkies were also involved in taking a stand against ruthless pit owners a hundred years ago so that decent sparkies can earn $100k in the mines today. Bosses dont give anything to workers unless the workers fight for it, with the attitude of some workers we would still have bosses sending kids underground for a bag of lollies.

[13years]

A decent sparky will always take a stand against ruthless intimadatory bastards like BSA and I have no doubts that decent sparkies were also involved in taking a stand against ruthless pit owners a hundred years ago so that decent sparkies can earn $100k in the mines today. Bosses dont give anything to workers unless the workers fight for it, with the attitude of some workers we would still have bosses sending kids underground for a bag of lollies.

How soon people forget history, you should be applauded for your perseverance. As for 100K in QLD that would be fine if we were all single with no family ties.