The suspense and melodrama is killing me.
Imagine what it's doing to the MH & DC...
As far as Qantas is concerned, these are Qantas Engineering shift pattern efficiences. Vote yes for an eba with them included at your peril.
Let's wait and see what the HM LAMEs say about the inclusion of HM efficiencies in the EBA.
If they overwhelmingly vote NO, it's a pretty good indicator that the subsequent EBA vote will go down, without some seriously juicy sweeteners.
If they overwhelmingly vote YES, there remain some powerful reasons for
ALL LAMEs to vote NO on the EBA:
1. not everyone gets a level increase during the life of the EBA.
2. the flexible rostering will open a Pandora's Box
3. the quota system: only getting into the higher levels through a full type course; and the service points and the orphan training points being completely useless, when only the anointed few are getting any training despite clear evidence of manpower shortages in BNE Heavy, SYD Base & Line, AVV and MEL.
4. entry level LAMEs are still going to be paid less than high level AME's. What the...?
5. If you need more reasons to vote NO, just read QE's FAQ's on the intranet. There is plenty of bad news straight from the horse's mouth.
And the training bank: sounds good till you think about the implications. We're LAMEs. The only career progression many of us desire is to be trained on a new aircraft type. There is no training, so three weeks per year in the training bank that we can cash in every year is a poor substitute for a type course and a level increase, if you're lucky enough to be uncapped. And to suggest using the cash toward paying for external training, is this something we want to encourage? What will we pay for next? Basics? License renewals? Uniforms? If the eternally optimistic among us keep the three weeks per year in the back pocket for training, that's cash in the back pocket we go without till trained. If ever. If the heavens open and training rains down, those of us who cashed in because we needed the money (who doesnt these days), find ourselves bonded. I thought bonded labour ended when serfdom was abolished. I don't want to be a slave to this company! Apprentices aren't even bonded, merely indentured. What a retrograde step for QF LAMEs!
To the exec, nice idea in theory, but I'll STILL vote NO. I'm happy to go on an 8 hour shift, or an O/T ban or whatever it takes to get a FAIR DEAL!