Originally Posted by
Icarus2001
How can anyone defend an OVERtime rate that is lower than the usual working hours rate? Really.
In FIFO contracts its not unusual to have a higher than average min guarantee rate with a lower overtime rate. I guess the assumption is you are not going to do alot of overtime. However that all changes if you become a pseudo mainline carrier flying all over the country which is what is in play here.
If that’s the case it wouldn’t matter what course of action the unions took- qantas was always going to offer up a turd and fair work would force us to take it. The result may well be an airline with insufficient crew to achieve its core mission of providing FIFO transport, which is something that has implications for society in general. Bias or not they at least have to have a degree of integrity and aim for a deal that maintains a stable workforce but doesn’t bankrupt an employer.
Maybe they think we’re bluffing and will be content with something along the lines of what was voted down four times. The numbers leaving now and the mighty ball ache Qantas is having recruiting and retaining staff on the much better contracts they have elsewhere would indicate otherwise. If Qantas get what they want out of this it will be a pyrrhic victory- even more so than the ’win’ they had against NJS crew.
Which begs the question what is the QF endgame here? Either they have the commissioner in their pocket and know they will get a favourable outcome, or they have some secret knowledge about the state of labour supply of pilots? (in principle deal with the government for a 457 Visa) .
Or is just shuttering the airline and blaming the pilots the real alternative.