RW, i dont think that the FAAA has ever even marginally indicated that LH crew are "overpaid".
But they have clearly indicated in what was needed as a reality check for some crew that we are the least productive and most expensive.
Just as a mercedes is more expensive than a holden. The difference is, that in our case, the company view is that a jetstar flight attendant or an overseas based flight attendant or a MAM casual does exactly the same job for a lot less.
We like to view ourselves as the mercedes benz of cabin crew. Many of us are and deserve what we earn. Trouble is the company just has choices now that they didnt have a number of years ago.
The FAAA have just been putting a perspective on our situation. Nobody likes our predicament but it wont be solved by living in denial of reality.
Cleary the cost differential is a significant motivating factor for Qantas. Its the only reason that the IT jobs were sent to India and the maintenance is being done offshore.
Unlike the IT workers and engineers cabin crew do not in any reality have a portable skill no matter how well WE regard ourselves and that is the incredible challenge for flight attendants and their representatives.
With a hostile govt an IR laws, a largely industrially weak membership (certainly F/a's could not be described as militant) our challenge in the next EBA is to avoid oblivion and to remain relevant and EMPLOYED.
For some the changes will be bearable for others not bearable. With people lining up to do our work cheaper and without legislative protection that unions have traditionally enjoyed in australia, flight attendants as well as all other unskilled workers face serious challenges.
ANd please before anyone gets offended when i refer to flight attendants as unskilled i do so in the spirit that we can be replaced by a week of EP training and some cabin service training.
Its all about profit, and what qantas can con the public into believing is a quality product.
What i find totally offensive is the obscene bonuses paid to management and offered by the equity partners. The current management are not deserving of those obscene amounts. Its not them that built our company is thousand of didicated staff over decades.
When we have a govt that not only endorses this sort of behaviour but encourages it its time for a change.
For my money RUDD like obi wan kenobi is our only hope.