OK I think some of my comments have been mis-interpreted.
The point of my post was to show that Qantas has insulated itsefl from any threat of industrial action by making the tactic less effective. By divinding its operations into 5 cabin crew groups, and basing increasing amounts of crew overseas, and having so many "subsiduary companies" they basically can hold almost any amount of flying with minimal disruption to the flying public.
Oz, I know that you guys are doing a great job, in one of my recent trips over the Nullabor I could not pick the casual from the permanant, and thats a credit to all of you! My point was although you may not see yourselves as any different to the permanants, and the passengers may not, and indeed your jobs are no different, but the Industrial Relations Commission does. As you are covered by a seperate agreement between the FAAA and MAM, and not under the SH EBA (FAAA and Qantas) this means you guys cannot participate in any protected industrial action if the SH crew want to. Now I dont think strike action is something all (any?) crew want, but lets face it, there are not too many other aces held in the workers hands! Aside from agreeing to lesser conditions of course.
And the beauty is that when its time for MAM EBA renewal, who knows what could happen? MAM hold the QF contract, but Im sure that could easily be given to any other company (JB Pty Ltd for instance) if that company could demonstrate a cheaper option. So instead of staying at the same hotels, why not the Airport Inn, or less pay, less conditions etc. Never know, the current QF management is not known for kindness latley.
I agree with Jettlagger. It is nothing short of appaling. Will this stop me wanting to do it? No. It still is the only way to fly for Qantas right here right now for a new entrant (unless i lived in the UK, Bangkok or NZ of course). I just hope that the 5 divisions realise where the opposition is coming from (HINT: Its not each other....) and that any new agreements will aparantly with conditions that QF sets.
JB
Oh and PS: My sentance about MAM crew being able to "crew anything", perhaps I could have reworded that paragraph a little better and for that I apologise. The correct meaning was that MAM crew can crew any aircraft that a Short Haul crewmember can, as the paragraph was about the SH crew checkmate. Was illustrating the depth of options QF have to crew those "SH routes" routes, with LH crew on 747 (domestically flown) A330 (domestic and regional) or 767 (domestic and regional) or MAM crew on 737, 767, A330. I guess a CSM would have to be found from somewhere but, is this a CASA requirement?