Word is that the purge is taking place because the management team has lost touch with the engineers. The alaea has no power to direct the members anymore or end the current eba dispute, the members have taken away the power and Qantas are unsure how to handle the situation. Any manager who has been involved in the secret meetings with the senior alaea officials is in the gun sight. It looks like Qantas are resigned to the fact that the ALAEA is about to become a more conventional industrial organisation. I understand that the new management team will also be a more conventional outfit.