Originally Posted by
Ngineer
There is a bigger story to this. With the Inlt FA union claiming it's EBA expires 2021, what happens to any bonus that may accrue in that time? Are management expecting it will accumulate to an amount that will secure an unfair wage deal? Are they trying to push for shorter term agreements?
I am sure that there is some type of hidden agenda here as they start marching already disgruntled employees towards expiring agreements.
Nefarious intent is always prime motivation.
For those well versed in IR strategy, what is apparent at the current time is that:
- Qantas was 'terminal' in FY11 to be 'transformed' in FY15. All achieved with same fleet and wage structure.
- Biggest loss in QF history achieved by fleet impairment, the timing of which was management's in
- Pay freezes achieved for 18 months with significant long term compound loss for staff.
- All insider managers on LTIP (yes their pay was frozen in some cases by millions of VERY cheap options were granted, vesting date FY15)
- 'transformation' profit comprised of depreciation reduction and fuel price falls.
- All insiders handsomely rewarded.
Even with the handsome pay off., for the insider it was a once off.
With the business cycle not aligning with open contracts, it is difficult to leverage downwards pressure. They need leverage.
For the pilots the usual practice is to threaten to remove the ' back payment' component in a contract negotiation.
Remember the back payment gets bigger the longer management stall!
With a global shortage, at least in the case of pilots, delaying contract negotiations does not generate additional leverage for management, in effect it reveals the weakness of their usual overwhelmingly powerful position.
This is a ham fisted attempt to generate some leverage of employee groups.
At least the Engineering union called it for what it is; probably illegal.
Mr Purvinas is referring to section 343 FWA (2009)