The problem is wethereyet, that under the REX EBA the only tangiable overtime is working on one's day off! If REX pilots place a ban on "excessive" monthly flight hours, where do you draw the line? And more importantly, how do you justify it when all parties have previously signed off on the current EBA! Whilst other perhaps more progressive workplace agreements have sought to limit a reasonable amount of flying hours (ie: 55-65 per month) as the benchmark for additions to salary, REX's EBA simply follows the legal Mins, or Max in this case CAO 48. Do you understand that arguement?
This has come about because of the ruthless advantage that sucessive managements have taken of the pilot group(s) over the previous years, (the Hazelton debarcle of '95, the collapse of Ansett, and even the uncertainty of the formation of REX itself). This pilot group have gone from having the best T&C's (Kendall/Ansett) to now probably having the worst amongst the regionals in Australia. The Chairman and his lackies have signalled loud and clear that they have no intention of redressing this shamefull state of affairs. So where does that leave the REXPC and the pilot group in general?
It's fine to rattle the sabre. But every battle is won before it's fought. The crewing issues at REX are now so dire that if pilots merely exercise their right of refusal to work on days off, you will see some serious disruption. Further schedule cuts will become inevitable, and maybe, just maybe they might start to listen. If they don't, well as always it will be the travelling public who will pay the price for REX management's failure to grasp the true nature of this situation.