Black-list investigated
The article below is out of today's Australian. QANTAS are obviously looking for ways to shaft the Association and all the engineers in it. If there are alternative workers in our midst, play nice with the other children in the sandpit. Sand in one's eyes is not a nice feeling. And while you're rubbing the sand out of your eye's, expect a kick in the guts from management.
This management has a lot of resources and won't blink an eyelid in using them against us, even if it costs them more than paying us our 5% entitlement.
As has been stated in earlier posts, next week will more than likely be the deciding week in which way this stand-off goes.
INDUSTRIAL action will continue today over the ongoing Qantas engineers pay dispute, with 19 flights already cancelled in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
But a Qantas spokeswoman says all customers have been notified of the cancellations and accommodated on alternative flights.
Unionists, meanwhile, could face heavy fines if claims of intimidation during the dispute are proven.
The Federal Workplace Ombudsman is investigating a "blacklist" of strike breakers which is circulating in the industry to allegedly intimidate non-union members who could potentially be called in to do the work of striking engineers.
The Ombudsman will examine whether freedom of association provisions of the Workplace Relations Act have been breached.
Ombudsman spokesman Nicholas Wilson said the maximum penalty for a breach of the act is $33,000, which could multiply depending on the number of breaches found.
"This is a serious matter, and if proven to be true, could result in prosecution of the guilty party," Mr Wilson said.
Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) federal president Paul Cousins said members could also face union action.
Mr Cousins said he knew of the blacklist's existence on forum websites but "hadn't seen one that's been drawn up".
"We don't see it as being something that needs to be paraded," he said.
"I'll let individuals carrying out these nefarious actions against their brothers know of the consequences."
Qantas said it was cooperating with the ombudsman.
Mr Cousins said action would start today in Perth from 1pm (AEST) and was expected to continue until about 1am Saturday.
More strikes were planned for tomorrow but members were committed to ensuring the Australian public was "100 per cent safe," Mr Cousins said.
"The most shortage is in manpower and logistics," he said
Last edited by QF94; 26th Jun 2008 at 16:21.
Reason: Spelling error