Meanwhile the QF mainline boys and girls would be going "Oops...well bugga...that didn't work...doesn't effect me thank god"
Here is where you are wrong Chim Chuck. It
does and
will not just QF drivers but all pilots in Australia- no matter what the result.
There is no doubt that J* will continue to expand and require more crew. I'd like some of the F/O gigs that are going to be created to go to our hard working S/Os- many of whom have been in Qantas for longer than J* has existed. When seniority allows (so that we're not gazumping those already at J* but I would like to see a line in the sand drawn soon) it'd be great if some of our F/Os could get a command slot. I also happen to think it'd be great for a J* F/O to get a look at a mainline type also when their seniority allows. If/when this all occurs then all QF drivers have a direct interests in the conditions at J* being as good as possible.
The second reason why this affects everyone is because a J* pilot group with under done conditions threatens all of us in the industry. If they remain a very low benchmark then this impacts on not just QF drivers but DJ drivers also. Australian pilots need to try and remove this wedge of 'but the pilots in the other airline don't get paid much and we need to be competitive'. Competitive J* conditions make that much more difficult.
Finally, I have a huge moral issue with people doing essentially the same job for significantly differing conditions- especially when it is the management wallas who get the bonuses for this travesty. J* pilots should have better conditions- as should DJ pilots also- and I fully support them in that endeavour. J* pilots have at their possible disposal the combined assets and talents of 2500 QF pilots. Whilst AIPA isn't perfect and doesn't always get it right I'd prefer to be one group working in the same direction then two or three different groups all heading off in different directions.
One horse on it's own can pull 800 kgs worth of goods. Two horses together can achieve two tonne. There is strength in pulling together in the same direction. Now is the time.