I am not a LAME, but am following your dispute with great interest. I also know QF very, very well (that's all i can say).
Your determination is great to see and there is nothing unreasonable about your claims.
But some friendly hints:-
1) Forget about public support or lack of it. In a dispute the public never support a union engaged in stoppages. Also, remember who owns the media (they are not friends of employees).
2) Those of you who actually think QF will agree to wage rises over 3%, think again. I only hope your elected officials don't actually believe they can achieve more than 3%. If they do, all of you are heading for disaster.
QF will defend the 3% cap at all costs- it has implications for all other QF unions if they were to give you a greater increase. Be sure, they will never agree to beyond a 3% increase.
3) BE ready for a termination of your existing EBA , which is a pre-reform agreement . The AIRC (federal commission) would be bound to grant a termination upon QF application.
4) At that point, QF can go down some very nasty paths. One obvious path is to ask the AIRC to withdraw approval for any further industrial action. Other QF options include locking you out and then deciding if they will even talk to you.
For those of you, who think i am some QF supporter think again. I hope your relatively new union leadership does not miscalculate.
I realise you have other important issues other than a wage increase.
My suggestion is that all of you plus your elected reps concentrate on those, rather than a 5% increase.
If you stake all over 5% there will be disastrous consequences for your membership.
Good luck...... you are a decent group of people !
