22 September 2005
Attention all Qantas Long Haul Flight Attendants
NEW YORK SHUTTLE DISPENSATION
Members who attended the recent FAAA membership meetings throughout the country will be aware that the over-riding theme at those meetings was JOB SECURITY .
On 23 March 2005 the FAAA wrote to you advising that a dispensation for a shuttle between LAX-JFK-LAX for 2 Bid Periods (239 and 240) was agreed to by the FAAA. The primary reason for the dispensation as advised to you at the time was “to provide job security for our members. The transfer of our flying to overseas based crew is not in the strategic interests of our membership or the long term viability of the Long Haul Division.”
That reason has not changed and indeed developments since March have further strengthened the case for our membership to behave flexibly in relation to the realities that confront this Division.
Qantas now has at its disposal other Qantas Group cabin crew who can do International flying that in years gone by was solely done by Long Haul. These other cabin crew employees are often more cost effective to utilize.
We must therefore be prepared to deal with this reality without necessarily liking this reality. Not to do so will provide an incentive for more of “our traditional” flying to be transferred to others. If further international flying is transferred from the Long Haul Division then the job security of our cabin crew will be threatened.
On that basis, the Divisional Executive of the FAAA has decided to continue the JFK shuttle dispensation. A new dispensation agreement has been reached as follows:
- A shuttle between LAX-JFK-LAX may be planned with a planned flight duty of 15 hours. Timings of this flight duty will be monitored.
- The North-bound slip shall be a minimum of 36 hours. In unplanned circumstances, crew may vote to reduce their slip to 18 hours and reduced slip payments will apply.
- The South-bound slip will be planned for a minimum of approximately 46 hours. In unplanned circumstances, this slip may be reduced to a minimum 36 hours rest. Crew may elect to reduce this slip to 18 hours and reduced slip payments will apply.
- In unplanned circumstances, crew can be worked up to 17 hours and then a majority vote is conducted to work up to 20 hours. However, in the event that crew elect to operate beyond 17 hours in unplanned circumstances, the Company will treat the flight duty as a long range flight duty and crew will be paid as per clause 15.2 of EBA IV. For example, crew vote to continue beyond 17 hours and operate for 18 hours. Crew will be paid 6 hours overtime as per clause 15.2.1 and 4 hours long range allowance as per clause 15.2.3 of EBA IV.
- This dispensation may be terminated by one full bid period's notice by either party.
- The dispensation is subject to a vote of FAAA long haul members to be conducted by the Association.
- This dispensation is given on a without prejudice basis and does not set any precedent for any dispensation that may be given for future flight duties.
The FAAA is heartened from the response of those members who attended the recent membership meetings. It was clear that members at the meetings, after listening to all the information and rationale in relation to the JFK dispensation, understood the importance of continuing the dispensation.
Other relevant factors in arriving at the decision to continue the dispensation were these:
• The JFK patterns are being actively bid for by our crew.
• Of the 2 occasions, so far, that the shuttle has gone beyond 17 hours, crew voted to extend their tour of duty.
• The actual average tour of duty for this sector (based on last winter) is 14'59” only 59 minutes beyond what the Company could have automatically planned for.
• The FAAA has received a fatigue report on the JFK shuttle from a leading Australian expert on fatigue. The conclusion of this report does not support the withdrawal of the dispensation based on fatigue grounds.
• Withdrawal of the dispensation will result in NZ overseas based crew doing the shuttle. This will mean substantial displacement of our crew from LAX patterns.
• Implications for new generation aircraft that may be ordered by Qantas. If we refuse to be flexible, then Qantas may determine that international flying on these new aircraft should not be allocated to Long Haul crew.
The FAAA will shortly be organizing a postal vote of our members on the JFK dispensation. The FAAA position is clear and unambiguous. We are strongly advocating a continuation of the dispensation in order that job security of our members is maintained.
We believe our membership is sensible and pragmatic. We don't believe that our members will reject the dispensation and provide further incentive for Qantas to marginalize the Long Haul Division. The situation confronting our Perth Base cannot be allowed to develop into a general threat to all of us.
The prime objective of the FAAA is to protect our employment. We intend to do that in a very difficult environment that confronts us, with your continuing support.
Written and authorized by the Divisional Executive – International Division.