Any BA cabincrew who think OS is no threat to them should be interested in this article from the Sydney Morning Herald from February this year. Jetstar is the Quantas version of OS, they just didn't get it when it was proposed to them.
This is what the Aussi equvalent of BASSA have just agree to
Qantas plans two-tier workforce
February 23, 2008
QANTAS has signalled plans to establish a two-tiered workforce that will see some full-time employees hired on less pay and lower conditions than existing staff.
After outlining its intention this week to slash a further $1.5 billion in annual costs by mid-2010, Qantas praised as "groundbreaking" its new five-year enterprise agreement with the long-haul flight attendants union.
The agreement reached last November will see new cabin crew work 30 per cent more hours on 25 per cent less pay than Qantas's existing long-haul flight attendants. It is believed the deal will save Qantas at least $40 million a year in labour costs.
Some other union bosses are dismayed that the Flight Attendants Association of Australia signed the deal. But the union has argued that it had no choice, given Qantas's plans to hire cut-rate staff via a subsidiary company whether it struck a deal with the union or not.
The deal represents the first move by Qantas to seek the increased efficiencies and lower wages that it already has achieved from its low-cost offshoot, Jetstar
Now Qantas is stepping up its message that it wants other unions to follow the example. There are suspicions that Qantas now has its second largest union, the Transport Workers Union, in its sights. The TWU, which is due to start EBA talks, did not return calls.
In a media release yesterday, Qantas trumpeted its plans - already signalled last year - to hire 2000 new cabin crew by the end of 2010.
"The competitive terms and conditions negotiated under the EBA have enabled us to create these new positions," said the airline's chief executive, Geoff Dixon.
The media release follows the message by Mr Dixon at the company's profit results briefing on Thursday that the flight attendants' agreement would "need to be the type of deal we have as we go forward with[other] unions".
"All the enterprise bargaining agreements that we're concluding have to be aimed at making sure that we're competitive, both domestically and internationally, with other airlines," he said.
"And have to be able to ensure that we can give adequate returns to our shareholders, while making quite massive investments in product and in aircraft."
The assistant secretary of the Australian Services Union, Linda White, said Qantas management needed to be aware that it would not foster any loyalty among its staff if it attempted to erode conditions, especially in a tight labour market. "If they p*ss off customers, they don't stay around and it's the same for the Australian workforce," she said.
Ms White said the move would also have an impact on Qantas's level of service.
The general manager for airlines, John Borghetti, denied Qantas was seeking to create a "two-class" workforce.
"Here is a perfect example of the company and union working together for the benefit of Qantas employees and shareholders enabling the company to grow," he said.
