If I can give a little advice, since I don't like what Qantas has done to you guys one bit....
1. Firstly anything they DON'T pay you is pure profit - straight to the bottom line.
Thats why they DELAY things as long as possible. Whoever is running QF's negotiating strategy will no doubt be congratulated for making the company
3% x average LAME monthly wage x number of LAME's x 12 months = a handy chunk of money, work it out yourselves. Thats what its cost you to negotiate for 12 months.
So rule #1 is no more delay and don't let them "phase in" pay increases either.
2. Please, please! Get professional help with your
PR and do it real quick like yesterday! Mr. Purvinas came over all right on ABC radio today, but as the prospect of strike action gets closer, Qantas will increase the
PR pressure, painting you as un australian, greedy neanderthals.
You need to get your argument down to a ten second sound bite and repeat it all the time every time. It will help, blunt the Qantas media onslaught. Personally, I would be sending the public a safety message, the average punter still thinks Qantas has a great safety record because of you guys.
Unless Qantas is silly enough to get out masked goons with Rottwielers, you are not going to get much sympathy from the public. Your will be successful in my opinion if you can just get them to remain neutral.
3. For Christ sake, if you aren't already in dialogue with the ACTU, then get connected. Get connected with the Government as well if possible. The obvious Qantas tactic will be to get the usual suspects (eg the Institute of Public Affairs, plus Brendan Nelson) to claim the the Rudd Government really is going "soft on unions" and that the ACTU has their hand up his backside.
Remember that it was a Hawke Labor Government that broke the pilots union. Do NOT back the Rudd Government into a corner by doing anything really provocative, although the company will do its best to make that happen. If Rudd is backed into a corner, there is a possibility that he will thump you to prove his credentials.
My advice to you is that if delays are impacting the travelling public, then suggest to the Government that the best way to help the public is to temporarily let more international flights in, let them carry domestic pax as well etc. Talk to Singapore Airlines. That would set GD's hair on fire.
4. Just remember that you are dealing with a lieing, cheating pack of thugs led by someone whose eye is on maximising his income for his forthcoming retirement.
They will try and portray themselves as honest people negotiating in good faith but being frustrated by a rotten and unreasonable bunch of thugs in the ALAEA. Its your job to show to the public exactly what creeps Qantas management is.
It was nauseating reading some of the postings by your former union exec's about how gentlemanly and professional their negotiations were, you want to "negotiate" like the proverbial junkyard dog. Stuff the niceties, they will try and get you to make concessions to show your "Good Faith" (an old trick). If they do that, then immediately ask for a similar sized concession in return, but I hope your reps have gone to the Union negotiating school.
Good luck and merry Christmas.
P.S. Don't listen to the likes of PAF, he is a hypocrit who has no knowledge of what he speaks.