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Hi, my name is Melissa and I was hired this year to be a dishwasher. However, I have been told that the contract through New Zealand is not renewed and that it may not go through for the summer season. Does anyone know anything about this? Should I be worried? I am in the proccess of doing the medical stuff to PQ. I am going to go through with the PQ process, but I was just wondering what the odds are of me actually getting to go down. Thanks for any help!
Howdy, Melissa, and congratulations! Welcome to the ice family of misfits…
Regarding your question about ‘the contract through New Zealand is not renewed’, I have no earthly idea what that means. I’ll be going down in August, as will many others, and I don’t believe any of us have heard anything remotely resembling this.[/font:vb94uyd7]
My advice would be to continue on with the PQ process, and plan on going down. Whatever it is will get resolved, usually in the 11th hour. It’s how things are done in the USAP.[/font:vb94uyd7]
If anyone else has an idea about this, please enlighten us.[/font:vb94uyd7]
Later.[/font:vb94uyd7]
atlas[/font:vb94uyd7]
Hello Atlas. Thank you for the welcome and quick reply. Here is what I was sent, it should help clarify my question:
“Well, the latest news is that your boss in McMurdo, if you make it down south, is pessimistic about the sub-contractor in New Zealand getting it together soon enough for them to take over the contract as soon as the Winfly period, and maybe the summer season itself. So if you’ve signed on for an alternate DA Winfly slot with me, or if you told me that you’re available to go as early as the third week in August, your chances look better than they did.”
I have renewed hope though, since you say it could come through in the 11th hour. Thanks again for your reply!
Melissa, I have no earthly idea what was sent to you. It makes no sense at all. Raytheon has the contract for several more years. NANA has the contract for the galley, but other than the management, all of the employees are Raytheon.
Maybe they are talking about the travel agent in NZ. But that shouldn’t affect anyone going down. Call your contact in Denver and get the official word.
This couldn’t have been an official letter from anyone. It sounds like hearsay to me.
MikeMelissa —
I’m just guessing, but it sounds as if RPSC/NANA is attempting to ‘farm out’ the DA duties to a New Zealand company. I believe I know the reason for this (as does Mike), but I hesitate to vocalize it in this forum.
From what was written in that e-mail to you, sounds as though the NZ company is having problems organizing, and your chances for going down (especially in August) is good.
Continue on with the process. You’ll find out soon enough about ‘ice politics’. 🙂
Good luck to you.
a
P.S. Where are you from?Mmmmph. Shades of the IAP days? A NZ contractor has got to be better than they were.
For those unfamiliar with the history, IAP (Interanational American Products, I think) was a shady subcontractor used to run the galley, briefly.
glenn
Well this still seems so strange. Melissa, if you are being hired as an alternate, then it’s just that. You have to have someone drop out for any of a hundred reasons before you get a primary. It happens all the time that alternates get hired.
If you are a primary, at this point I wouldn’t worry, until you hear something definative. In any case, get all the medical, pq and paperwork done as soon as possible, so you are ready to go. Often, the primary person lags too long on the medical and doesn’t get everything done in time. The only thing that can be done is drop them and bring in the alternate instead.
Keep us informed on what you hear.
MikeYo, Mike —
I”m guessing that RPSC is trying to outsource the DA positions because of what’s been happening with that group the last few seasons. I’m guessing that if they go with a NZ company, then any ‘dings’ won’t have to be reported, as such.
Do you know what I’m speaking of?
aWell Atlas,
That would be a logical assumption. What is weird is that nobody knows of it. By now if they were outsourcing the DAs it would be a hot topic. I’ve asked a number of people so far and nobody has heard of it. My best guess at this point is that it is not happening.
MikeHello all…. thanks for giving your input. Atlas, I am from California. The central valley to be more specific, we are almost the center point on the map of CA. Mike, about being an alternate: I was told when I was hired that all dishwashers were being taken on as alternates because of the contract. They asked me if I could go down for winfly, but I feel so in the dark about what my actual status is. At this point I am just going to ride the tide and forget about whatever they’re trying to clear up. I really appreciate the feedback. I’m crossing my fingers that later in the summer I’ll be asking questions like what to bring! This is the only antarctica forum I could find with tons of helpful info.
The best of luck to you Melissa.There is a very nice group of people here who stand by to help people like you. I hope you get in. Before long we’ll be giving you advice on what to bring down.
MikeHey Melissa – I have a friend that lives just outside Lodi. Are you close to there? She was going to go down to the ice, but hasn’t committed, yet.
Hey Melissa,
We got the scoop from the new big boss. They are in fact looking at contracting out the DA jobs. I’m not sure I agree, but the reasoning is that the people who wash dishes for a living full time don’t apply for jobs in Antarctica. It’s more college kids that worked restaurants part time.
They think they can find more kitchen oriented people there.
It’s sounding like it’s not going to happen this season, so keep your spirits up.
MikeHey Mike,
Have you read Phil’s blog report on that meeting y’all had? Broke my heart to hear they are even thinking about it…
Cheers,
Genevieve
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