"AIPA to represent ALL Qantas Group Pilots"?
Did you guys READ the decision? Don't give up your day jobs, lads. This decision means NONE of the above.
Previously, JQ pilots could choose to be members of the AFAP or the TWU if they wanted. They could not join and be represented by AIPA before this decision. Now they can. QFLink pilots can now join and be represented by AIPA as well.
This is not a move towards one union. It is the opposite -- More choices, not "one union."
Kaufmann makes the point at
87 of his decision that what he heard
"suggests that airline pilots are industrially astute.
"In my view, the mere extension of the scope of the AIPA’s eligibility rule will not lead to pilots from Jetstar, Eastern or other airlines joining it unless they are satisfied that their industrial interests can be better catered for by the AIPA than by the AFAP or some other group."
Kaufmann anticipates that we pilots will throw our lot in with whichever organisation we think will get us the best outcome, at our airline.
Given that
VB, Skywest, Alliance, Ozjet and NJS pilots are excluded from representation by AIPA by the new paragraphs IX and X, my conclusion is that this decision prevents "one union" for all aussie pilots. There will be at least two, probably three, with unequal coverage ('market share') within each airline.
More choices does not lead to "one provider." Example - mobile telephone service providers. Ever tried to get all your mates onto the one phone service? Hey guys, everybody get onto Vodaphone pre-pay, free calls between vodaphone mobiles! If all your mates, work colleagues, family, etc bit the bullet you would never pay more than the minimum monthly fee.
But it would never happen. Each provider (telstra, optus, aapt, vodaphone, etc, etc, etc) would have a share of the action. Some bigger, some smaller, but no monopoly. Pepsi still has a share of the cola market. Marmite and Dick Smith spread are still on supermarket shelves and being bought in (small) quantities.
No matter how hard Ian Woods and his team lobby and cajole JQ and QFLink pilots, it will be up to the pilots to choose which union they join, if they join at all.
This decision means that some JQ pilots will be AIPA, some others AFAP, some others just JPC, or nothing at all.
So lets not get too excited.