Jetsbest
Once again you have demonstrated a lack of understanding of your position.
I am not gloating about anything, i am telling you the reality of aviation outside of the sheltered workshop that you have grown up with.
I would rather have your contract than mine, but i know that isn't going to happen, and i know that yours isn't going to last. The reason i know this, is because i know what your competitors are doing. I am one of them.
Yes, your 737 and 767 guys do work hard, and you can expect that everyone in mainline will work that hard one day if they hope to retain their salaries. You should ask yourself why they are working hard. You probably don't remember, but before the dispute Qantas was only an international airline.
You can't escape the implication that if Qantas had supported (or never split from) the other union then you wouldn't be facing this situation yet. I say yet, because it is inevitiable.
I think you are absolutely right about how J* pilots should have been recruited, but you guys just rolled over, and now the cat is out of the bag.
I can assure you that you are inefficient. I have many QF mates who have regaled me with their stories of how they have travelled backwards and forwards between London and Singapore or Bangkok on the double shuttle as S/O's in first class.
That says it all. Either way it is bad. If the union insists on First Class travel for S/O's then the problem is self explanatory. If on the other hand it is a space available issue, then that is equally concerning if you consistently have spare First Class seats available.
Tell everyone about the Pacific Barons and their overtime and conclude that's efficient. I'm sure that you will come up with some formula to prove it is saving the company money, but the reality is that a pilots in my airline wont get a cent extra for doing those routes. That means they can sell tickets at cheaper prices.
How many of your long haul drivers are doing in excess of 90 stick hrs a month. Hundreds of the guys in my airline are, month after month. Do you still think your long haul guys are efficient. You may be right that a lot of the inefficiency comes from the schedule. But it is still inefficient, and makes it difficult to compete.
It is market forces my friend. Hopefully what appears to be a severe shortage of experienced pilots will manifest itself in higher salaries for everyone, and you guys will be able to maintain or even improve your conditions. But my money is on the airlines dumbing down the cockpit such that they will be able to recruit any idiot to do our job, for half the salary of a J* driver.
It seems that Bob Hawke may have been a visionary when he called us "glorified bus drivers". But i have to say, after 25 years in this industry, I think he was right.