Originally Posted by
Tony the Tiler
Revisionists take note. AIPA didn’t exist pre 1981. To those boasting about how good the Qantas agreement is, understand that your agreement finds its foundations from the AFAP agreements pre 1981. AIPA built on the strong foundations that can be found in the agreements pre-split. The young Qantas pilots deriding the AFAP may want to acknowledge that much of the contract they currently work under has its roots in the very union they are decrying. Understand your history; AIPA was created from a splinter faction of a much larger and stronger pilots union.
Rather than reform the union, the AFAP officeholders of the time let unresolved issues fester, it split, and union representation for Australian pilots has never been the same. There is fault on both sides, and ever since, there has been this artifice between representative bodies. People need to grow up and get over themselves, a new generation of pilots deserve far better than the status quo.
To those that deride the rule change to allow all pilots to be members of one union, what is your answer for the new generation?
Respect to the new guard, at least you are trying. From an overseas member and old war horse.
If the supposed intention is unity, then why pursue the aggressive rule change path?
Why not come out with a publicly stated ambition of merging the unions, rather than attempting something more like a takeover or attempt to extinguish?
I'd have a much easier time believing this is all about unity if there was some publicly stated desire, maybe with a timeline of 1-2 years, for both unions to have dedicated groups meeting and working together to resolve issues and barriers to merging - rather than fighting. I don't see that and that makes me very suspicious of the supposedly altruistic intent on the AFAP's part.