tifters
It is worth standing back a little now and focussing on what we in the AOA actually voted down.
We have comprehensively voted not to allow the Company to introduce lesser CoS for New Joiners.
That's all.
The Company has now advertised in a NTC, a significant number of FO basings positions in SYD and AMS in accordance with current basings agreements. Positions that are not taken up by currently employed eligible Officers will be filled up by recruiting in directly.
So the Company is still going ahead with DEFO recruitment - it simply remains to be seen what CoS will be offered. Will the Company offer New Joiners current CoS or will they, as some fear, disregard the sentiment of the vote that has just taken place and offer CoS07, or something similar, anyway?
I am looking forward to further updates by the AOA on this topic, and hope that the Company will confirm that it is offering current CoS to New Joiner DEFOs.
In the absence of such an assurance, it would be helpful if any prospective DEFO New Joiner reading this, who has been offered a position, could pass on the details of the contract they have been offered.
I am heartened that the vote was so comprehensive against the motion, and believe that it signals a strengthening of the unity of the AOA membership.
I hope more CX aircrew will be encouraged to join the AOA in the months ahead as a result. Certainly, those that join the Company after January 2007 can be shown demonstrably that the AOA stood up for their cause when they were yet only potential colleagues - powerful motive, I would think, to join such an organisation.