Rated, sorry for my tone, but my response was aimed at your defeatist attitude that an SGM is a waste of time.
Effective industrial battles in today’s environment are won by baby steps. Never take too big a bite, but keep biting. This has been QF’s strategy for years now, and it’s been working reasonably well.
The same strategy can be exercised by the workforce, but it takes well-thought strategy, long term planning and as close as possible to 100% support of the workforce.
An SGM is not a waste of time, it is simply one of those baby steps, or little bites, as part of a longer strategy. It is also very useful in conveying accurate information rather than relying on the rumour mill (or prune), and also evaluating the support of the membership for whatever strategic plans that might be available.
I can guarantee you that whilst QF won’t be too concerned that AIPA is holding an SGM and that X number of pilots turn up to drink beer, it doesn’t go unnoticed either. Sometimes it even makes the news, although I seriously doubt this one will. I can also guarantee that QF will have spies turn up and will be very interested in what is said at this meeting.
I, for one, will most certainly be attending, and I am very interested in not only what the elected representatives and IR advisers/lawyers have to say on the subject, but also what the general feeling of my peers is - it’s a biggish airline, and I only fly and socialise with a small subset. AIPA needs to know too - there is no point our Association heading down a path, no matter how well thought out, if it doesn’t have good support of the workforce. They made that mistake once in a certain failed EBA. Oh, and I might have a beer too.
The baby step campaign prior to the lockout some years ago was a good example of an effective industrial campaign. What let it down was that other unions got on the bandwagon and couldn’t help themselves - they started taking bites that were too big. While pilots were wearing red ties, other unions were publicly promising to kill the airline. Once that started affecting bookings, their (and consequently our) fate was sealed. A fatal mistake.
Pilots have been marginalised many times in the recent past due to lack of organisation. Please don’t make out that any attempts to improve that situation are a waste of time - not something we need to hear from a colleague.
Do you think QF would be making the sudden threats that have just surfaced (via emails from execs, dial-ins, roadshows) if they weren’t in some way concerned about the potential pilot reaction?
Regards, Fred
Last edited by Derfred; 18th Feb 2018 at 09:10.