Who works in the mines... not many, if any.

[mr_mike]

Wonder if the Copco D45 drills I repainted back in august are in there, they were due to go back up Koolan in September

[Denver]

Reports I saw said they got all the gear out. I'm guessing there was enough time between the slump
And the high tide to get it out.

[huggy_b]

I'm pretty sure it started slumping around the end of October? At which point they suspended operations and moved all the gear out to sort out repairs - a month later and bye bye wall.

[millzy_88]

That ^^ fits what I heard. I was supposed to go up beginning of November but it got canned due to a problem with the sea wall. Then as you say, a month later reports that its gone completely.

[Steve]

Kwinana,
Chandala
Cooljarloo?
I'm up at Coojy, have been so for a while...

[Greg Rust]

I'm up at Coojy, have been so for a while...

Ah good stuff, I'm a regular at all those. Working with Braam, chemo and Justin just last week on the Sth mine tails pumps?

[Satan]

3 blokes in as many months killed themselves at Alcoa Wagerup - everyones scratching their heads wondering WTF

[heavyduty1340]

^^ wtf is going on there?

[Passage GT]

I first started fifo 6 or 7 years ago and enjoyed it, went resi when I joined rail and loved the roster and the lifestyle, went fifo again at the start of the year and absolutely hated it, affected me big time at work, at home, I think a lot of it was I never wanted to leave wickham, the roster, living costs and lifestyle are awesome, its such a good wicket to be on, never wanted to leave, took a lot of big changes and I'm living up there again, unfortunately as a single man after leaving the missus and kids in Perth, needless to say leaving in the first place was the worst thing I ever did,

[Steve]

I applied for a job with them yesterday. Hook a brother up hey lol
Theres another position just advertised for the Kwinana site..
https://www.enablecentral.com.au/Portal/1659/Job/List

[TJ]

Ah Trav no good to hear man.

Hopefully it gets sorted

[2LMILK]

Theres another position just advertised for the Kwinana site..
https://www.enablecentral.com.au/Portal/1659/Job/List

thats for a materials officer role. same same but different.

am applying

[forde]

Did my induction for Wheatstone yesterday and fly up on thursday. We were told that they are planning on having 7000 people on the project by mid 2015, not sure how true that is though as thats a lot of fucking people!

[butters]

Lots of rumours floating around today at Roy Hill (construction side)
NRW is up shit creek and can't afford to finish the rail earthworks, they are going to finish formation only, no batters, drains rail access track and leave on 31st of Jan.

NRW morale is low, looks like this will be there last job. Apparently was a big meeting today, will find out more tomorrow.

Not good.

[mr_mike]

I heard NRW were selling of heaps of equipment, although that might just be civil.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Any update on NRW??

[Alt_F4]

Time to short NRW haha

[butters]

Yeh I meant civil/earthworks side

Haven't heard anything further today, Will post when I hear something

[skidkid]

Lots of rumours floating around today at Roy Hill (construction side)
NRW is up shit creek and can't afford to finish the rail earthworks, they are going to finish formation only, no batters, drains rail access track and leave on 31st of Jan.

NRW morale is low, looks like this will be there last job. Apparently was a big meeting today, will find out more tomorrow.

Not good.

RH claims another one

[Buckets]

Aussie contractors are to used to being able to get away with being useless. Samsung for all their failings do not follow this mentality which makes shit interesting as they really do give zero fucks about screwing people right over to hold them to account.

[Jmoore]

Well they had a big contractual dispute only a few weeks ago which was never resolved.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/25605247/nrw-dives-on-profit-warning-contract-dispute/

[butters]

I've heard that they did not allow building the rail service track in their tender. 430k's of track and signs etc can't be cheap. I'm sure there is other stuff.

[Denver]

Had a presentation this morning from management re the cost per ton.

46 bucks all in per wet ton. 51 dry. 28 to dig it train and port costs. 13 to ship. 3 in interest. 2 infrastructure sustainability.

So things aren't in the shit for a long way yet.

[-Luke-]

I've heard that they did not allow building the rail service track in their tender. 430k's of track and signs etc can't be cheap. I'm sure there is other stuff.

Rail service track?

[Butla]

$51/t Fmg?

[Alt_F4]

Rail service track?
I think he means the access road (aka service track) that runs parallel (mostly) to the rail.

I remember it from the civil drawings when I was involved in the comms/signalling side of the project years ago.

[butters]

^^^ correct, it's always called something different on each job, access track, maintenance track..

[-Luke-]

430km's and enough to kill a company, I reckon NRW would prefer to call it a "Road" :)

[kamahl31]

Access road is a mess for the most part, really does look like it's just get the rail formation done and worry about the rest later

[Lmx]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-11/oil-price-drop-claims-first-wa-victim-red-fork-energy/5962020

[munt]

I went on one of the Autohaul trains that was being commissioned today. May train god have mercy on us all.

[Passage GT]

How did it go munt, light engines or was it a full train? Last time I spoke to the auto haul boys they'd got the engines to turn their lights on but not sound the whistle when moving off...

[munt]

I have no idea the difference between those 2 things haha, I really should know this stuff. Was just a single loco idling away. Cab was full of people doing electrical checks and I was there to check some radio filters. Its funny how they check the collision sensors... big hammer!. I did ask them how it all was going but I dont think I should repeat it.

Its kind of a surreal experience knowing something like that will be getting around without a human on board one day. Reminded me of when I was in a pit at yandi and an autonomous truck rolled by with a cloud of dust behind it. I just stared into the cab thinking this is what it would be like in a post apocalyptic world where machines have taken over.

Also couldnt help but think of that movie speed, except with a train.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

I deal with the Autohaul train stuff from perth, its a lot of technology in the loco to get it to move

[thommo]

how far off are they from being put in service?

[-Luke-]

I work in long term maint planning for rail. The shear volume of wayside and onboard assets required to run the system in mind boggling. I wouldn't say it's too big to fail but it's rapidly approaching that point.

I have heard it's worth 8 to 9 consists if it works as planned so saves the business buying an additional (aprox) 24 loco's and 1840 ore cars plus the obvious operational/maint costs that go with it.

I personally thinks it's awesome what we are doing and really do hope it works out as planned as it's a pretty big step forward. There are plenty of autonomous rail system out there but no heavy haul that operate in the conditions we do.

[thommo]

How does it differ from any other autonomous system? Surely a computer can make better decisions than a person with controlling and monitoring equipment. It then accelerates and brakes... Doesn't even need to steer

[-Luke-]

The Tonnage of the trains,distances travelled and distances from the control centre are the main issues I believe. The onboard system are (relatively) simple the way side/comms and control systems in Perth are the biggest hurdles.

[huggy_b]

environment

[-Luke-]

^whs, also forgot to mention the topography of the network.

[Passage GT]

Driving trains is a lot about feel, you can literally feel what the train is doing from the seat, they're basically 2km long elastic bands with 30m between fully bunched and fully stretched, you can have a section of train travelling up a hill while the other half is coming down, the weight and forces involved is huge, one slight mistake is all it takes to break it in half or worse, a hell of a lot more involved than just stop and go...I've barely scratched the surface here

[Tocchi]

also how updated the software is ... too many units on the system causes big issues with the trucks ... so they have drivers sitting around ready to go

[short-shift]

old wives tail now, a glitch from a MAJOR upgrade a month or two ago, no longer a current issue with hardware/software updates ;)

[Tocchi]

saw them running again, but wasnt sure if it was just the 20 trucks or the 30 (?) they were trying to :P

i take it you know a lot more than me :P

[short-shift]

Running into the 20's with out issue when units available, think we only have 26/27 units now after the little BBQ.
17/18 made us the largest fleet.

[Tocchi]

oh i didn't even know about that bbq :P when did that happen?

[DESAM8+PANIK]

I work in Asset Health as one of the evaluators for rail and I had to spend time up on the locos, also previously I come from the mining side of Rio and I used to remotely monitor the autobots running in B2, Yandi and the WANG and let me tell you autonomous trucks are good, they are simple systems controlling simple systems. Rail is TOTALLY different, Yes a loco is very similar to a electric truck except it has 6 traction motors instead of two. The electronics is very similar (albeit out dated in my opinion) in how it controls everything in the loco from propulsion to engine monitoring. But what is extremely hard to replicate autonomously is what Trav was touching on and calling them a huge rubber band is not very far off a perfect description of them. Small things that you need to think of is the in train forces applied to the complete consist. Think of it like this, three locos are all producing 4000HP each pulling a loaded train up a hill, gets to the top you would think that they back off, wrong it will still be powering down the other side of the hill all the while backing off the power so it doesn't "snap the train" like wise going up a hill the driver may be using dynamics (electric braking like a truck), these are things that I have witness drivers with excess of 45 years driving locos for RIO do with ease. I am going to admit, when I found out they earnt the dollars they do I thought what a bunch of over paid Thomas the tank engine drivers, but once I spent time with them and understand what they do to keep them together, they got respect from me. I know when they first got the dump trucks going autonomously, they had them running in exactly the same place all the time that it created grooves in the haul road, a driver will never drive in the same place every run, thus keeping the haul roads relatively groove free. They fixed this with engineering, but a train is a lot more to it than that. Trav will know what it is like to take off with 2.4KM of wagons behind 3 Loco's, you don't just rip on the power and take off, the train actually "grows" approx. 2 wagon lengths before the last wagon actually moves a wheel.

In short there is a lot to driving a train, I have experienced it first hand, and getting it to all work together with all the system like ECP and ATP together is a HUGE engineering feet, and don't even get me start on wayside, that is just another area that needs to work perfectly with all these other systems.

[mr_mike]

Seems like there is a lot of variables, would it not just be more cost effective and simpler to leave trains manually driven?

[S133LTR]

Drivers cause down time because they can only work 12hrs (and rightly so)... cost of autohaul v cost of down time would have assessed and decisions would have been made based on that.

[-Luke-]

^this is a huge part of the drive to get it working train meets/driver shift changes are two of the largest delays.

[Alt_F4]

Maintenance costs would be another huge cost saving, especially non-scheduled maintenance which directly impacts the company bottom line.

[S133LTR]

Tbh man Autohaul will probably lead to more unschedualed maintenance due the fact that a driver will generally have a better feel for whats going on back in the consist.. you eliminate driver down time you are able to fit more consists into the network though... even though you may have abit more unschedualed maintenance if youve got a cpl extra trains running that more than makes up for it.

[Brett_J]

I remember a few guys that I went to Tafe with said they hated the Autonomous trucks, if the truck throws a fault it basically stopped where it was, meaning it might block access etc, where as a driver will move it out the way or get it up to the Workshop. Take the good with the bad I guess.

[crabman]

Can someone jump in an autonomous truck and hit an override or something to nurse it off the haul road at least?

[turboknapp]

Yes they can,

there is a switch on the bumper (CAT Trucks) you can change to Manual mode

[Brett_J]

I wouldn't know, I just remember the guys saying they are a pain in the ass.

But yeah there would have to be, it's not like a robot :)

[tex]

Anyone else at RoyHill at the moment, apparently there's a pretty serious food poisoning case

[crabman]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-18/deliberate-food-poisoning-at-rinehart-owned-roy-hill-mine-site/5975102

Wonder if it was just the one piece of fruit, or the whole batch.

[Cal]

Just one

The rest have been removed and tested that were on site

[crabman]

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/12/18/21/57/urgent-warning-to-wa-hospitals-as-cyanide-found-in-pilbara-mine#MpAHzxDkvyMXcXCe.99

So Cyanide is key to spreading the Christmas spirit it seems.

[ben351]

In all fairness ... some of the fuckwits I have dealt with in the past deserve that fruit.

[-Luke-]

helluva ploy to get xmas day off.

[Greg Rust]

So Roy Hill is now a gold processing plant?

[skidkid]

Was probably aiming for buckets and got poor old mate instead

[Buckets]

LOL...

There is nothing to worry about it's a peculiar and isolated incident that revolves around a single Kiwi fruit...

I'm onsite now have been for the whole saga so far and I along with pretty much everyone else gives all of zero fucks about it.

[TJ]

That's because the fruit hasn't got booze in it

[forde]

Had a guy die in his truck in the yard next to me at wheatstone yesterday. Apparently he had been sick for the past few days.

[tex]

What i don't get is why you look at the kiwi fruit and go hey that looks poisonous ill tell the chef, id personally just throw it out. Not to mention i've never seen kiwi fruit in the royhill dry mess.

Wasn't to long ago a one of the bus drivers at royhill had a heart attack and kicked it

[DESAM8+PANIK]

so reading the news today, found this article ......... clearly designed by people that have never tried to get on the internet from 6PM to 10PM on site

http://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/new-app-quality-time-praised-for-connecting-fifo-parents-with-their-young-families-while-away/story-fnii5thn-1227174162631

How many of you find it a pain in the arse when trying to use the internet when you get back to camp and every other crab is downloading porn via the mobile network?

[Damo 69]

Lots of rumours floating around today at Roy Hill (construction side)
NRW is up shit creek and can't afford to finish the rail earthworks, they are going to finish formation only, no batters, drains rail access track and leave on 31st of Jan.

NRW morale is low, looks like this will be there last job. Apparently was a big meeting today, will find out more tomorrow.

Not good.

any update on this?

keen to snipe 430kms of access track

[Buckets]

Stay the fuck away from Roy Hill plz. The data coverage is chocked enough without having to compete with you and your million social medias a minute "work load"

That being said if you crank Perths Shittest up again I will show you how to access the quicker second network no one seems to know about ;)

[Damo 69]

I don’t even social media bra

[DESAM8+PANIK]

pfffttttt Perths shittest IS social media "brah"

[butters]

any update on this?

keen to snipe 430kms of access track

Haven't heard anything lately, the rumour mill seems to have slowed down.

Have just flown back up to site from Xmas break so I'll ask around.

[Faz]

Anyone know of any 8n6 gigs going for a maitenance sparky? HV quals previous mining exp Instro ticket ect.

[Tocchi]

They seem to not have enough sparkies at B2/N from what I've heard. But that could be just planners whining

[Faz]

Namaldi is contracted to csi... ive worked for them once never again. And good mate is at B2 cant get me on rio's fixed plant :(

[SSICK]

Haven't heard 1 good thing about CSI

[Alt_F4]

Anyone know of any 8n6 gigs going for a maitenance sparky? HV quals previous mining exp Instro ticket ect.
Workmate recommends the following to try:
Axial - Jandakot (mostly FMG)
Hans & Skilled - Karratha office (mostly Rio)

If you get no love, msg your resume and I'll pass it to a workmate (we're at RT) who can get it in front of the right people :)

[TJ]

No RT site is contracted to one labour supplier

[skidkid]

Namaldi is contracted to csi... ive worked for them once never again. And good mate is at B2 cant get me on rio's fixed plant :(

CSI run the Nammuldi above water table plant. It's a small busted ass plant that does 5-7mtpa. It's seperate to b2 and Nammuldi below water table.

Nammuldi below water table has just been finished and should be in the commissioning phase, and will be initially run by CSI until RTIO take over

If you work for RTIO at b2/nbwt you'll most likely be DT workforce

[HotAe92]

Anyone know the inside goss on the Ravensthorpe spill? Took a little while to reach the media.

A friend 'heard' that the acid slurry got through the maintenance offices and the like - but I call BS.

[Damo 69]

Anyone know the inside goss on the Ravensthorpe spill? Took a little while to reach the media.

A friend 'heard' that the acid slurry got through the maintenance offices and the like - but I call BS.

mate works at ravo and i went down to see him over chrissy, didn’t mention maintenance offices, but a tank corroded through due to a construction error (they were in the process of rectifying all the tanks at the time, i.e. shutting one down at a time, fixing it, then putting it back online) When it let go it took our most of the power infrastructure surrounding it and took out one of the transformers killing power to the plant, and it was the access to hook up back up gennies. So they are in/were in the process of getting temporary power back on at certain parts of the plant to stop it from solidifying by not turning over.

[Damo 69]

Also was in the West Australian business section the day or 2 after it happened i.e. this happened a week before Christmas.

[-Luke-]

Heard some rumnles today of train v grader near redmont? Sounded like it was a nasty one

[devilfish]

Anyone know the inside goss on the Ravensthorpe spill? Took a little while to reach the media.

A friend 'heard' that the acid slurry got through the maintenance offices and the like - but I call BS.

Acid leach slurry in the Substation :( = no power...

[f6rspec]

Has anyone worked at Andy well in Meekatharra

[evoeata]

I know a couple of blokes that are out there. Good ground and not a bad joint by all accounts
Seem to have mostly an atlas copco fleet.

[American Dave]

call me on 9226 4511 (DT Workforce) cheers Dave Hinton

[ossie cossie]

FAZ you going back into mining? Im still at Wodgina. Hopefully not for long now. Looking for serious underground sparky work. Tony

[Bomber]

Might have got a site transfer from MAC to Yandi. Not holding my breath, but would by all accounts Yandi amenities shits all over Area C

[Cal]

Heard some rumnles today of train v grader near redmont? Sounded like it was a nasty one

Bit of grader damage, operator with concussion AFAIK

[S133LTR]

Sniffed around for info on this today but no joy.. where did it happen?

[Faz]

FAZ you going back into mining? Im still at Wodgina. Hopefully not for long now. Looking for serious underground sparky work. Tony

I was looking for something permanent as i thought my current contracting role wasn't going to last much longer but i found out today that I'm wrong. I'll stick with this mob so long as they keep me on for as they have done good by me so far.
I applied for a 8n6 Underground role with Corestaff of a new nickel mine opening up, can't remember where, perhaps give them a call and see what they can do?

Hows wodgy treating ya? glad i got out when i did, was losing my mind there haha

[butters]

Heard some rumnles today of train v grader near redmont? Sounded like it was a nasty one

have just heard from a mate, that yeh train vs grader, no injuries luckily. However there is approx 40k's of BHP trains backed up. If NRW weren't fucked enough with Samsung, BHP are now supposedly going to be charging NRW with loss' and I'd imagine holding up BHP's trains and ships isn't going to be cheap...

[butters]

any update on this?

keen to snipe 430kms of access track

have driven around the most southern 100k's or so over the last week. It seems that NRW are slowly doing some of the RST and rehab works.

Nothing more is really being said at this stage, they have their finish date which in my opinion they won't meet. Everyone is just carrying on as if it's all going to be completed on time. I think it's just a waiting game to see what NRW do once the finish date arrives. I don't much more wil be said until then, which as far as i know is around end of jan - mid feb

[Damo 69]

Finish date as when they think they will be finished or contract finish date of when they hit LDs?

[Fr3d]

Next destination for the Ensco 104 - Abu Dhabi for 3yrs. Good to be back on a long term contract.

[Satan]

wrong thread

[OmEg_A7]

Hey guys, does anyone know of any good boiler making jobs going at the moment?
Keen for a change from the 4:1 maintenance roster.

[schnoods]

Hey guys, does anyone know of any good boiler making jobs going at the moment?
Keen for a change from the 4:1 maintenance roster.

Wrong time of year to be a boily looking for work!

[butters]

Finish date as when they think they will be finished or contract finish date of when they hit LDs?

Sorry about delayed reply, as far I'm aware mid feb is the actual contract date as to whether that is just formation or everything I don't know. Unfortunately I'm not high enough in the pay-scale to find this out and no-one seems to know/want to say.

[adrenalin]

Check with Roy Hill.

Few people on 3 : 1 rosters which is a heap better then 4 : 1

Sidenote : Crane fell over today apparently doing a test lift. This is after a train clipped a grader the other week.


In China we had 1 small incident and can guarentee the safety was no where near the standards of what it is at Roy Hill.

[skidkid]

Check with Roy Hill.

Few people on 3 : 1 rosters which is a heap better then 4 : 1

Sidenote : Crane fell over today apparently doing a test lift. This is after a train clipped a grader the other week.


In China we had 1 small incident and can guarentee the safety was no where near the standards of what it is at Roy Hill.

But there are a heap of useless mongs that are at RH, especially the crew that came from Forge

[HotAe92]

I emailed this to my mate who is a RH employee. I'm sure he will appreciate my collaging skillset in the absence of photoshop on my work computer.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j273/TuffSJ80/crane_zpsc8820b6d.jpg

[Damo 69]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-21/crane-topples-on-gina-rinehart-roy-hill-mine-site/6030770

wait, isnt Leighton's working under Samsung, and they sent samsung a safety advisor to sort out thier shit?

"He said the company had escalated the issue to the "highest levels" with Samsung C&T and Leighton Construction and had sent one of their own senior safety employees to the contractor, to "drive change in regards to safe lifting operations"

[Buckets]

Fucking construction mongs. pingpingpingpings are fucked.

[adrenalin]

Correct Samsung hired Leightons.

The part that makes me laugh the most is Leightons sent out a guy to China to watch us assemble these machines. He filed a report saying that it was done "poorly" and that we are all "incompetent"

First test lift they do ( no counterweights ) and in front of the inspectors and it falls over.

Leightons may get booted off site for this.

[HotAe92]

"drive change in regards to safe lifting operations"

Pfft. Drive change. Paperwork is not fucking change.

[Damo 69]

With the hoops required for any lifts over 20T or general franna work I don’t know how the fuck they managed to topple a crane.

Man it took Bechtel 2 months to approve my lift study to lift sections over an ammonia line, and rightly so shit can go pair shaped.

[adrenalin]

Waiting for news if they are shutting down the site.

[Cal]

All of it? I heard lifting ops were cancelled for Package 1 this morning (obviously).

[Satan]

Rumour has it that the Crane involved is suspected of being intrinsically unsafe as it was previously used to lift Gina on and off her Drilldo

[adrenalin]

Have met her.

No Franna crane is picking her ass up.

[Niva]

One of the offices for one of the concreting companys in the mines (wont say which one yet) was evacuated yesterday because of a package on route to the office that they didnt want being sent there. been doing my nut in trying to figure out what it could of been.

Not drugs.
Not a bomb.
not guns.
not a prossie.

[Tocchi]

Blaaa's package

[Miami]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjKVzXre-E4

https://au.gwn7.yahoo.com/w1/news/a/-/national/26217657/inpex-43-metre-chimney-slips-from-cranes-during-repositioning-at-blaydin-point-lng-site/

Whoops.

Unions NT secretary Paul Kirby said workers told him the chimney was almost vertical when it fell and it would have created a "pretty loud noise" when it crashed to earth.

You don't say.

[waxdass]

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2015/02/xie-iron-ore-crash-35-2015/


Iron ore will slump into the $US30s-a-tonne range this year as low-cost supplies rise and steel demand in China shrinks, according to Andy Xie, a Shanghai-based independent economist who’s forecast a rout for years.

“When it peaked at $US190, I started talking about a collapse and nobody believed me,” said Mr Xie, a former Asia-Pacific chief economist at Morgan Stanley. “We need to see prices much, much lower. It can still go down through $US40 before we bounce back.”

The raw material used to make steel will probably average $US50 this year, a level that he’s predicted since 2012, said Mr Xie, who’s tracked the Chinese economy for more than two decades. Prices need to decline to a level that’s so painful higher-cost Chinese mines will be forced to give up, he said.

“We have a situation of declining demand and increasing supply,” said Mr Xie, who also worked for the World Bank. “Domestic steel demand in China is actually declining and that trend is going to last a long time.”

[Brett Allan]

Very Sad news;

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/worker-killed-in-industrial-accident-at-olympic-dam/story-fni6uo1m-1227214320004?nk=c8bf355281e5677280385297aebc2175

Crushed by falling rocks underground @ Olympic Dam

RIP

[Butla]

hearing lots of rumors coming out of tom price about redundancies. Anyone heard anything?

[Greg Rust]

All the coffee machines were taken out of RTIO Op centre this week and my contact said that there was going to be some fairly large things coming out next week.

[munt]

Only made 3b last year... better stop buying coffee pods.

[Greg Rust]

Yea apparently now everyone walks to the cafe to buy a coffee and the cafe is killing it due to line out the door.

They would have been better just making the pods available via a gold coin donation to a charity

[-Luke-]

^this is true on all counts, I've gone out and bought a single cup coffee press as the shop over the road is shit and expensive.

Quite a few nervous people. Having been laid off and remployed in the space of 3wks I really couldn't give a shit what goes on.

[Tocchi]

I bought a 50 pack of nespresso pods for $10 so I'm set :p - for the UFO shaped Nespresso pods machine in the dry mess.

Our office on site is still putting through orders for normal shape pods - the Super Nintendo considers them operational costs

[-Luke-]

What/where are you doing these days Matt?

[Tocchi]

Tech writer at Brockman / nammuldi :)

[Alt_F4]

All the coffee machines were taken out of RTIO Op centre this week and my contact said that there was going to be some fairly large things coming out next week.
Fuckers canned the biscuits in the office kitchens too :(

[Lump]

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l482/RXF35/muggsy_zps30xptxap.jpg

[Passage GT]

i thought it was more like 7.5b profit... fucking ridiculous, I've heard they're taking away the lightning towers at the Cape, the ones which were installed after the lack of lighting was brought up as a safety issue at pretty much every meeting for several years... they were a temporary fix until permanent lighting was installed.
This has been an issue since 2004 apparently.... they take safety very seriously... until it cost's too much money.

[BASSULA]

all mining companies take safety seriously until it costs too much as a specialised Contractor for them we see it all the time they get there own guys to try and do what we do and they screw it up and make a huge safety issue out of it just to make our own lives harder.. At the end of they day they will keep cutting until the unfortunate happens I would say and someone dies then they will put some things back in place, or start employing people who aren't monkeys

[Satan]

All the coffee machines were taken out of RTIO Op centre this week and my contact said that there was going to be some fairly large things coming out next week.

ALL?? even the 24/7? if so that's a paddlin

[Greg Rust]

I'm only going off what my contact was saying. Unsure about the one you're asking about.

[-Luke-]

Dunno bout the Ops side but the office side have def lost all caffeine privileges

[Satan]

yeah ops wouldn't lose a fatigue management tool

[Greg Rust]

Yea gotcha makes sense.

[Tre-Cool]

i don't see the problem in removing the coffee machines. paying for overpriced coffee pods/beans & it's associated maintenance costs money as really it's not a work related problem. want coffee, drink the bulk blend stuff.

don't like it, stiff shit.

now on the other hand, depending on where they record the costs for them all, it would just be a tax write off somewhere surely?

[devilfish]

in the grand scheme of cost cutting it screams of meanness.... there are far more places that costs could be cut and actually improve plant output, not morale destroying shit like removing coffee machines...

[-Luke-]

I think it's more about sending the message that cost cutting is serious and here to stay.

[2jzlux]

Is coffee really that important?
pingpingpingpings are on 150k and can't buy their own coffee if they want fancy shit.
Every other place I've worked you get some shit in a tin or fuck all.

[Greg Rust]

E85 cost more than a few coffees but I do like a double shot flat white.

[-Luke-]

Is coffee really that important?
pingpingpingpings are on 150k and can't buy their own coffee if they want fancy shit.
Every other place I've worked you get some shit in a tin or fuck all.
Regardless of income, if a basic condition that existed on commencement of employment is removed with no explanation/communication it's bound to upset people.

Let's not forget the company is still making record profits in a down market,so removing said condition could come across as petty and punishment for market forces outside the employees control.

I'm not suggesting cost cutting shouldn't take place, but imho this cost cutting exercise is penny smart pound stupid on the whole.

[Passage GT]

well said Luke, couldn't agree more... the mentality of these big companies is truly astounding.

[waxdass]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9012/htc-launches-one-m9-handson

Basically got the M8 and improved everything.

Will buy.

[crabman]

Are the machines still there and employees could just buy their own business machine pods online or is everything coffee related gone like milk, sugar, hot water...

[-Luke-]

Machines are gone. Blend 43 is back. Will be interesting to see if the milk hangs around.

[Tre-Cool]

Machines are gone. Blend 43 is back. Will be interesting to see if the milk hangs around.

I believe they also canned the multiple newspapers being delivered too. I heard it was a cost saving of around 300k.

cents on the dollar for rio really.

[mr_mike]

excuse my ignorance but is this a running joke or are you guys serious about coffee cost cutting?

[Macca]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9012/htc-launches-one-m9-handson

Basically got the M8 and improved everything.

Will buy.

don't think the minesites will go for it

[Greg Rust]

Mr Mike. I did some mechanical seal installs with two Asset guys last Thursday and that's how I found out about the coffee machine removal. Real time.

[Buckets]

Yes it's serious and for many people it's a "genuine issue" the fact it's even being discussed shows that the industry has gone soft and it's about time the pendulum swung back the other way. We're heading for a significant shake up of the way the industries been nurturing and pandering to soft cock pingpingpingpings and cutting some of the "nicer" non essential things and cushy unproductive practices is just the start of the long and slow process of getting the Australian mining sector back to being lean, mean, margin focused and productive.

The era of absurd "safety" bureaucracy dominating the operational outcomes of projects is drawing to an end and we'll see further pressure on support services (Compliance, HR et al) to get out of the way of the core business functions and get back in line with their actual roles. Companies like RIO / BHP are going to find this process very painful as they have allowed their organizational structure to become needlessly cluttered and top heavy, other smaller leaner companies are already well down this path already and realizing they need to cut harder than they have but are taking a logical and conservative approach to ween people off the cotton wool brigade as many in the industry know no different and the impending changes are going to create a significant business risk if people don't have enough time to get back to margin focused practices or in some cases learn them.

I read a lot of industry only publications and follow the goings on in this game very closely as I am basically tied to a career in this industry. The rhetoric from senior leaders across the whole sector is one that needs to be taken very seriously. We won't be back to working 13/1, paying for our own flights and living in tents again but mining in 2020 won't look or feel anything like it did during the boom.

[Greg Rust]

Well said^^ I like the fact that if you have something different, better to offer or prepared to go the extra mile then you'll have a good time.

[Passage GT]

I had to do an fmg induction a couple of weeks back, dude basically opened with 'what we want is common sense, we want people to think for themselves'
coming from the insane Rio world this really blew me away, as Rio has pushed and pushed away from people thinking for themselves and having everything so structured and micro managed that the place is filled with zombies that look to the procedure or rule book when they come across a new scenario...
I've never been so glad to be out of the direct mining work, my workplace has beers in the fridge and a very casual crew, we work hard and aren't treated like children, it's been a refreshing change.

[Denver]

That doesn't sound like FMG at all, they pander to the fuckwit 1% all the time, there is no common sense, in fact I distinctly remember a superintendent saying they hate the words common sense, and they're not to be used, ever..

I look forward to that attitude changing, but I don't think we'll see it in the pits, there are some absolute units that work there, a couple of which I honestly believe will kill someone one day, and despite having more fuckups between them than pretty much everyone else combined, they still have jobs..

Common sense shows, they should have gotten the ass long ago..

As for the coffee thing, it happens all the time, its an easy cost cut, FMG recently got rid of the inflight snacks/drinks for all flights except the flight up on day shift, can still have tea/coffee/water but no softies etc, over the year it saves them 3 mil, and for our 'convenience' they've opened the store up before we fly so we can buy our own if we wish..

It's a sign of the times, I'm waiting to see what gets the ass next..

[Buckets]

The desire for change is evident at a high level in most organizations and is in many cases the official line. Several CEO's and senior managers have stopped pedaling the "safety is our #1 priority" bullshit and have said the aim of the business is to be the best business it can and while safety is a key part of achieving this outcome it is just one of many things that need to be considered as part of the organizations direction. The resistance and bottle neck for want of a better term is coming from "support service" middle management team as they -
A - Don't know how to survive without things being as they are.

B - Know that if and when change occurs their grip on their little empires becomes increasingly unstable.

I am by no means saying the fuck safety lets go rip shit and bust mentality will be allowed to prevail (as thats just as counter productive) it's just the industry has woken up to the fact it's squandered the last few years of this generations boom with poor business practices and is now begining to redress this.

[adrenalin]

Safety is a load of shit.

While working in China for Roy Hill we had someone from Thiess come out only to report saying that it was extremely unsafe and that the DST were doing things very dangerously.

Machines land in Aus and Thiess have fucked things left \ right and center from stooling shit off wrong to a crane falling over.

[Tocchi]

Flight meals cost $11/person - up to 3 planes of 100 people most days for my area. Nearly $3.5k a day on inflight food. It adds up.

Freq flyer points are rumored to cost $30k/year per person inc flights?... Inc lounge access.
Could be wrong, but then again.

[TJ]

The biggest savings will be the continued downward pressure on wages - people will have to get used to working for less... or someone else will be doing their role.

[Buckets]

There are other and even bigger savings to make aside from employee costs TJ.

The operational cost of a project have lots of margin modifiers especially when you look at the breakdown of the cost incurred getting dirt out on the ground and in to a ship. Driving more efficent mining practices will reap a much bigger benefit than just capping wage growth and perks.

The wage growth and perks are the easy cuts that soften people up for the real hard changes needed.

[Alt_F4]

Knives are out today, with 'changes' already underway.
Luckily have been told our team is unaffected... at least for this round of cuts.

[skidkid]

RTIO have also just cut all frequent flyer points for Cat 2 contractors and visitors.. Cat 1 contractors are next on the books.

[munt]

I, for one, look forward to these cuts, I want to see people suffer, cuts to residential employee benefits would be the best. Everybody complains enough as is and they've got it easy as. I hope some people follow through with their plans to leave for other companies and then realise they fucked up.

Been doing fifo for 6 years now, first 4 were 4n1 and last 2 at rio 8n6. For some reason the last 2 at rio have crushed my spirit, It's the "best" job I've had but there's just something about it that is slowly beating me down..... Only 767 days to go.

[crabman]

So companies pay extra for the privilege of their employees earning FF points?

How much per point are they paying?!?

[Damo 69]

i think it would be based of some companies can accumulate the points to use towards their own travel iirc

[Passage GT]

The biggest savings will be the continued downward pressure on wages - people will have to get used to working for less... or someone else will be doing their role.

Every contract i've ever had it's been locked in, they can't just go 'oh we're going to pay you less now' if you're on a full time contract, saying that my brother is a casual employee for Monadelphous and they just did exactly that.
For those on full time contracts, to make any changes before the next eba they need people to sign a new contract with the changes outlined...nobody is going to do that.
My last contract stated under sick leave that we only needed a doc certificate for 2 or more consecutive shifts off sick.
The powers that be released an email saying they required a certificate for every single shift off regardless, those in the know told them to get fucked basically and didn't provide one and never got pulled up on it either...

[Lump]

Knives are out today, with 'changes' already underway.
Luckily have been told our team is unaffected... at least for this round of cuts.
good to hear, i was wondering how you were going there

[KPWISHN]

My last contract stated under sick leave that we only needed a doc certificate for 2 or more consecutive shifts off sick.
The powers that be released an email saying they required a certificate for every single shift off regardless, those in the know told them to get fucked basically and didn't provide one and never got pulled up on it either...

That sort attitude is the exact reason why mass sackings come into effect. Companies need to get rid of said dead wood occasionally. You think a boss doesn't remember who says "fuck you and your doctors certificate"?

[skidkid]

So companies pay extra for the privilege of their employees earning FF points?

How much per point are they paying?!?

Yep, don't have the actual $ figure but its not cheap - from what I was told it was a deal by Virgin a few years ago where they gave FF + status points free for FIFO flights. They then started charging for it and its been kept on to avoid unrest.

[Passage GT]

That sort attitude is the exact reason why mass sackings come into effect. Companies need to get rid of said dead wood occasionally. You think a boss doesn't remember who says "fuck you and your doctors certificate"?

yeah because we're all stupid enough to tell our supervisor to actually get fucked, if you're going to take everything so literally, i'll change it to 'our contract states we only need a $90 doctors certificate if we've missed 2 consecutive shifts in a row, I only had one shift off work so i don't require one.
how the fuck does quoting what our contract states make us dead wood?
It was more about people thinking they can just change the rules etc to suit themselves, Just because we're employee's or shit kickers does not mean we don't have rights and when we're in the right we can stand up for ourselves and state exactly why.
you don't know jack shit about me or my work, let alone my work ethic etc...
I actually had excellent relationships with all of my supervisors and even our general manager.
Actually my former supervisor bought me a beer two nights ago down at the local bar, i see and talk to him regularly, he's also a reference on my resume.
He's also the exact same supervisor that tried to enforce the doctor's certificate thing.
Just because we had disagreements (and we had many) doesn't mean we didn't have a mutual respect for each other.

[KPWISHN]

Sounds like you have your head screwed on. It wasn't a personal dig and I'm sorry if it came across that way. It doesn't take much of an imagination to see what some supervisors have to deal with though.

[Lump]

the industry has gone soft and it's about time the pendulum swung back the other way. We're heading for a significant shake up of the way the industries been nurturing and pandering to soft cock pingpingpingpings
up here at whaleback, there were notices in the mess tonight, for people to please set their donger aircons to at least 22/23 deg C, as they are getting lots of a/c units frozen up because residents set them to 16/17deg! - seriously, who would need their room that cold & how the fuck do they survive getting around when its 45 in the shade!

[Damo 69]

i set my AC to 16 as i want to cool the fuck off after being in 45 degrees* may spend 70-95% of my time in an office.

[kamahl31]

Roy hills gateway camp in Hedland is annoying, no coming home to a cold room since the power cuts out when you're not there (and when you are in your room sometimes too...), I guess it's to save money since they're probably on the main grid in town, still, it's shit

[1SPRINT]

Yep, don't have the actual $ figure but its not cheap - from what I was told it was a deal by Virgin a few years ago where they gave FF + status points free for FIFO flights. They then started charging for it and its been kept on to avoid unrest.

They went through it at FMG, IIRC its around the $8-$10 per person per flight, we had the choice of losing this or snacks on the way home as previously mentioned.
Although we don't get status credits.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

To confirm what was said two pages ago, I work in the OC for Rio and yes they took out the coffee machines a couple of weeks ago, plenty of milo and blend 43 if you want to stay awake on night shift any way, they also took our DIL away for working chirstmas day and also uss ASSet Helath Evaluators got a "change of hours" which equates to about 5500-6000 bucks a year cut. Yep I am glad the investors have kept their profit margin. As for me I put my resignation in and are leaving, I am not going to work for someone that is happy to pay their workers less than what I started on ...... grass is actually greener on the other side

[Lump]

good for you.
personally if I was getting the chance for very long term job opportunity at a company like rio $100 a week less is nothing in this climate.
Ive been contracting to BHPB for 9 months & would gladly take a paycut for a permanent gig.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

When I took a 40K pay cut to come here, its a lot, may not mean much to most but means alto to me, always been lucky to work in steady workplaces, I went to Liebherr at the start of the GFC and that took me places I thought I would never go, now I chose to go back, I always feel safe working there.

[evoeata]

up here at whaleback, there were notices in the mess tonight, for people to please set their donger aircons to at least 22/23 deg C, as they are getting lots of a/c units frozen up because residents set them to 16/17deg! - seriously, who would need their room that cold & how the fuck do they survive getting around when its 45 in the shade!

lol at that being soft. some of us actually work hard for our cash in the heat so going back to a cool room after 12+ hours in 50 degree heat is a small luxury...

[-Luke-]

Surprisingly it appears we are still getting our annual bonuses this year.....I spose I'll use if for coffee and newspapers

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Luke do you think the bonuses will be the same next year??

[-Luke-]

I don't think there will be one. They have amended the assessment criteria so which will make it very difficult to achieve the target if we have any safety infractions as a division.

EDIT: for me the STIP is not a deal breaker, it's a nice to have. I've been in mining since 1997 and have only worked for companies that pay bonuses for 5 of those yrs. I'm more interested in (to use the cliche) work/life balance than chasing bucks these days. My contracting days burnt me out on chasing $'s

[DESAM8+PANIK]

yeah was what I was seeing for the future. Good last bonus atleast, are you in the Pilbara supply chain??

[-Luke-]

are you in the Pilbara supply chain??

Yes, Rail.

[Lump]

lol at that being soft. some of us actually work hard for our cash in the heat so going back to a cool room after 12+ hours in 50 degree heat is a small luxury...
well to me going back to 25deg is luxury, 16 deg just seems crazy

[Alt_F4]

Surprisingly it appears we are still getting our annual bonuses this year.....I spose I'll use if for coffee and newspapers
"Last years money" #accountantlogic

[-Luke-]

Yeah that's basically it. it's accounted for in the overhead budget figures prepared last year. I doubt it'll be in next years....

[Damo 69]

If they axe all bonus’s the guys calling the shots on the cuts to make the business more profitable won’t get their bonus’s

[-Luke-]

no italics?

[DESAM8+PANIK]

They are in a different pay band, and rest assured they get their bonuses Damo

[Damo 69]

sorry italics was missing lol

[Tre-Cool]

EDIT: for me the STIP is not a deal breaker, it's a nice to have. I've been in mining since 1997 and have only worked for companies that pay bonuses for 5 of those yrs. I'm more interested in (to use the cliche) work/life balance than chasing bucks these days. My contracting days burnt me out on chasing $'s

It will be for me. my base pay is well under 6 figures...

how can I support all my race cars...

[American Dave]

on a positive note....DT Workforce is looking for boilermakers, coded welders and riggers for large project at Roy Hill on 3/1 FIFO...hit us up at daveh@dtworkforce.com if you or someone you know is interested

[huggy_b]

on a positive note....DT Workforce is looking for boilermakers, coded welders and riggers for large project at Roy Hill on 3/1 FIFO...hit us up at daveh@dtworkforce.com if you or someone you know is interested

Please tell us more about your coffee machine.

[Bomber]

Fuck coffee, Friday arvo beers is where it's at

[American Dave]

Please tell us more about your coffee machine.

we have a hot water dispenser....does that count ?

[S133LTR]

Finally got our eviction notices from peninsula palms today as its being closed as part of the cost cutting.

Quite sad tbh as Ive been in my current donga for close to 4 years and have come to think of the majority of the staff here as mates.

All RTs rail staff here will be off to flea ripple in April.

[munt]

Took the train drivers to move to flea ripple for them to finally do something about its shitness. People have been complaining for years and nearly nothing has changed

[Damo 69]

flea ripple donga's are awesome these days, however food is still shit.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Penny palms is where its at ..... feeling your pain S133LTR

[Denver]

Iron ore gets bellow 60 bucks and everyone starts panicking.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Including Rio Tinto ...............

[Lump]

or it might be a good excuse to get rid of dead wood

[2LMILK]

Denver we do need to get rid of alot of dead wood around here.

[TJ]

If you know/are a HV Electrician who has dewatering experience and want a cruisey 8/6 role get in touch

[TJ]

Know someone who can use the following?


• Komatsu PC4000, PC3000 Shovel & Excavator
• Hitachi excavators
• WA1200 Loaders

2/1 roster

Get at me

[thommo]

Anyone at port haven, heading up there for first time tomorrow

[kamahl31]

Probably the best camp in Hedland

[Lonewolf]

off to BWI again on monday (2nd visit, first overnighter)
5am breakfast are you shitting me?

[Charger]

It'll be nice and muddy by the time you get there mate :)

[adrenalin]

off to BWI again on monday (2nd visit, first overnighter)
5am breakfast are you shitting me?

Lol suck it up precious we all been there :P. Its not that bad. When you get home there is fuck all to do as Gym is usually full etc. Home \ Shower \ Eat \ Sleep \ Eat and repeat.

[Brett_J]

off to BWI again on monday (2nd visit, first overnighter)
5am breakfast are you shitting me?

It'll be quiet, they've started the list of people for the Cyclone Demob, spewing missus wasn't on it this time.

[jaba]

Anyone else on Wheatstone, the cyclone (when it forms) is projected to come within 100k's of site apparently.

[Damo 69]

off to BWI again on monday (2nd visit, first overnighter)
5am breakfast are you shitting me?

its so hard to read the pay slip of $3k+ clear a week at 5am over weetbix

[Buckets]

5am brekky would be a fucking dream for me, I'm onsite by 04:30 then lucky to be back in camp before 6...

The dream is being lived here !

[forde]

Anyone else on Wheatstone, the cyclone (when it forms) is projected to come within 100k's of site apparently.

Yep, i am. Got caught in the rain this arvo!

[XR 59 WA]

Yeah same. Should be an interesting few days, if we get a heap more rain the place will be a mess. Well more than it is after last week's effort.

[jaba]

I've been informed that at approximately 9pm tomorrow we have to move into the shelters if the storm hits as projected. 400+ in the dining hall should be great...

[Passage GT]

I'm on the road first thing tomorrow to do some work in Wodgina and then Solomon, hopefully the roads are still open!

[Lonewolf]

Lol suck it up precious we all been there :P. Its not that bad. When you get home there is fuck all to do as Gym is usually full etc. Home \ Shower \ Eat \ Sleep \ Eat and repeat.

Think i'll be able to manage one night, dont get paid FIFO money so that'll do

[forde]

Fuck that is going to suck! Who do you work for?


I've been informed that at approximately 9pm tomorrow we have to move into the shelters if the storm hits as projected. 400+ in the dining hall should be great...

[jaba]

Subcontracted by CB&I as an NDT Tech, you?

[forde]

Sparky for Freo Group.

[s-tranzor]

I'm on the road first thing tomorrow to do some work in Wodgina and then Solomon, hopefully the roads are still open!

Solomon is ok. Bit mushy on hamersley rd right now but nothin to get worried about.

[Tocchi]

Quiet talk about B2 slowly production to a complete shut once nammuldi is fully handed over. Makes sense when you look at it

[TJ]

As in the processing or the digging up of ore?

They still need to dig out 360 million tonnes a year..

[-Luke-]

B2 had f'all tonnes coming out of it at the moment and no tonnes allocated to it all in the 358mpta plan. Last time I checked they where only running 3 or 4 trains a week out of it.

[Tocchi]

Yeah we had a train today, ah the manual loading method.
It isn't often.
Not sure TJ - luke knows more

[skidkid]

B2 only have enough ore left for the next 12-18 months from what I was told.. It's been operating for 20+ years so its done well.

My money is on them closing down the B2 and Nammuldi above water plants when Nammuldi below water plant opens, and moving either one of the old plants down the road to Silvergrass

[Denver]

5am brekky would be a fucking dream for me, I'm onsite by 04:30 then lucky to be back in camp before 6...

The dream is being lived here !

The struggle is real.

[Denver]

I've been informed that at approximately 9pm tomorrow we have to move into the shelters if the storm hits as projected. 400+ in the dining hall should be great...

Eat lots of boiled eggs.

You'll be able to crop dust everyone.

[magic1]

LOL cat 1 cyclone.

harden up faggots.

[Brett_J]

Lol, 11 flights cancelled out of barrow, all sleeping on blow up mattresses for the next few nights in common areas, 1100 extra guys on site.

[thommo]

Shame it's not to the right a tad more, my flight to headland could have been cancelled! Haha

[SSICK]

B2 = Brockman 2?

[Tocchi]

Yeah tom

[azzada1]

Lol, 11 flights cancelled out of barrow, all sleeping on blow up mattresses for the next few nights in common areas, 1100 extra guys on site.

Not sure which id prefer TBH, I'm on the europa at the moment and have been feeling like shit for the last couple days due to choppy as fuck seas..
Barrow is definetely a unique place to work lol

[forde]

We have to cram into the SIP in the next couple of hours for god knows how long! Tonight is going to suck!

[Lonewolf]

Lol, 11 flights cancelled out of barrow, all sleeping on blow up mattresses for the next few nights in common areas, 1100 extra guys on site.

yeah my intended visit up there has been pushed back a week, good timing :)

[Charger]

Mattresses look like $10 things on special at the camping store, on a hard lino floor. Didn't sign anything in my contract for this shit

[munt]

Can hear the violins over that 200k+ income

[azzada1]

STFU matt! the struggle is real lol...

[MadDocker]

It's squishy and my bed isn't comfortable enough...

http://thenoob.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/dumbdumbermoney.gif

[HotAe92]

LMAO!

[munt]

Haha, It does suck. Last year we were all crammed in searipple village mess. Mattresses were seam to seam through the whole mess, power went out and all the toilet water was on some pump system. So people filled the toilets and they couldnt be flushed, the aircon stopped obviously, couldnt open any windows for about 12 hours so it stank of faeces, urine, sweaty people and was intensly humid, contractors got on the sauce before hand so were rowdy as fuck for like 6 hours. Definitely have had better cyclone experiences.

Also my flight out got cancelled and my dad went into a coma and never got to speak to him again. cant blame anyone for that though, one of those shit FIFO things.

[azzada1]

Everyone on board the boat on monday night to start off was stoked and excited as per usual... I went down stairs to make afew calls just before and it would seem that 50% are sea sick and the other 50% are bored as fuck and want to leave... nice little holiday mid swing though i guess.

Had a similar issue afew years ago matt, unfortunately as you say its the FIFO lifestyle

[Charger]

I'm supposed to be flown home today, pretty piss poor making grown men sleep on the floor when the camp is the size it is, considering probably 2/3rds the camps rooms are empty

[azzada1]

I was stuck up here last "cyclone" mike, doesn't make for happy employees.
I hear afew of the union boys are kicking up a real stink over this... very poorly organised this time around forsure

[Stealthed]

I never thought they'd get blokes on a mattress in the mess at the old CV. I was on the bibby before my role was unexpectedly removed a few weeks ago. It looks like the closest one to the island I've seen, but as usual I doubt it'll actually do much.

Hoping to get back up there again somehow! It's certainly a unique place to work, but I don't mind it. $$$.

[Greg Rust]

I hope the coffee machine is still working.

[Brett_J]

Official excuse for flight cancellations today was bird on the runway.....
One of the office girls spoke to Cobham early this morning, they cancelled the flights well before then, they weren't flying today at all.
Missus sent me a pic from the bus ride back to camp, looked like a lake, with the cyclone due to pass tonight, will be another day off yet I'd say with wet roads. Going to make for some very unhappy campers, lol, see what I did there :)