I also think recent history proves that if the pilots had gone straight to industrial action in the form of ANY operations disruptions (as many argued they should), Qantas would have shut down the airline immediately - it would have provided exactly the excuse they were looking for to pull out, and use the nuclear option. They were always going to do it, goading the employees to cause the disruption first.
Breakfast
I agree but nevertheless, all these disputes and work according to rules type things, belong to the stone age of work relations......for they only achieve one thing.....they hurt the compagny even more than already the case.
Do not forget the essential cultural element in work relations. They always have, to say the least, been very volatile in Australian history as in the UK or in France.
Germany, just like the scandinavian countries have a much more consential way of doung things, even if it takes forever to reach a decision.
German history, especially innthe 1920's was rather brutal and it has marked the country forever.
The airline business model is a very fragile one and the customer, already stressed out if his brain trying to make a buck, doesn't need the uncertainty brought by these sorts of disputes. He simply wants to bugger off to work or on holliday and no 500 000 or 250 000 a year is going to make him feel sorry.
There is always nowadays, another Emirates, Ethihad.....etc to fall back on.
Loyalty is very fickle these days and as a customer.......I am no different, you are no different.
I am amazed at my ability to change given the fact I am really a creature of habits. Like the germans.....I hate uncertainty.
According to Maslov's pyramid, the very first and basic human need is security / certainty. It is simply hard wired in us.
The Clifford and Joyce's are just banking on it.
Union's job has become close to impossible. At the same time, exercise your right to rightfull or wrongfull ( not my business ) claims........and not scare the customer and hurt foward bookings.......for in the end....it's not the Clifford or the Joyce you hurt....but yourself. They have a very fat bank account.......you need to pay your mortgage.
This is what brought some ( very marginal ) legitimacy to the last month lock out, allowing Joyce to face the media and the public with an altar boy's face claiming he was only protecting the compagny's interests......and in a way.....he was.
Unions are going to have to rack their brain and become a lot more creative for it's the beancounters who are calling the shots right now and what I read in the Herald Financial section this morning is no promise for a bright future.
In a nutshell.....this job sucks !