17 May 2008
Attention all Qantas Longhaul Flight Attendants
Update on Room Allocation and Seniority
Last week I wrote to you and advised you that the Company have changed the Compliance Sheet so that crew appear in Category order and alphabetically. Further, the hotels also receive information in Alphabetical order now as well.
We have been inundated with calls and emails from Flight Attendants, Supervisors and Managers, whose mood has been less than overjoyed at suddenly being allocated hotel rooms on the basis of their fathers surname without recognition of their years of service.
Furthermore our newer members as well as AKL and BKK crew have also found the whole process de-motivating, and before crew start reacting in ways that would be unedifying we ask for patience so that we can try and find a sensible solution with the Company.
I have spoken to senior management over this weekend and they have agreed to meet on Monday to try and find a sensible and practical resolution. I think it would be fair to say that some have underestimated how important these “little” things are for crew.
There is a chain of command on an aircraft that works in Seniority Order, and that is part of our CCOM. There is no reason to depart from a system that worked for everyone.
Under the established system if your name is Zimmerman your seniority will determine work position and hotel room allocation, under the newly “non agreed” process you will find yourself at the end of room selection and work position selection for the rest of your career. Seniority moves up, your name doesn’t normally change.
As I said previously, “Aaron Aardvark” formerly known as Steven Reed could well be the future for all of us, if we cannot get some simple changes agreed next week.
Please be patient, I am hopeful a sensible solution can be found.
Witten and authorised by Steven Reed – President International Division