accept it at your own risk...
So, they hand out a sheet of paper that highlights the changes from what we currently have to what we get (as they see it). And if the document is so good why are they so desperate to get us in for another roadshow? Do they think we can't read? Do they think that as a group we won't be able to make sense of the document and so need them to do it for us? Once again, demonstrates their lack of respect for us as a group. If what is on offer is so good, could someone please tell me why they don't highlight all the things they are taking away?
1. Annual leave loading - which is $500 plus per year - so future losses of that amount less per year, but also what you have owed in annual leave from previous years but haven't been able to take no matter how hard you have tried.
2. Buffers around days off greater than one and, they have not stated what the buffer around the single day is (and apparently don't want to put it in the document) so one can only assume it is less than the current 14hrs - why not state it otherwise?
3. Freezing our allowances so that they are no longer raised to reflect changes in the cost of living. This includes the overnight allowance which has always been paid by virginblue well below the tax free threshold as set by the ATO - so the gap will just continue to widen - and once again this is determined by the ATO based on the cost of living.
4. Effectively no pay rise for 4 years by the time we get one, and this pay rise will be based (i.e. the percentage worked out on) a 2007 wage. So, a wage that has not risen in line with any changes in the cost of living - they're arguing that the cost of living will go down now as a result of the depression and probably hoping that none of us have economic degrees and that the we are also stupid but, the cost of living went UP during the Great Depression of the 1920's and many Economists' are suggesting this will again be the case. The next 2 years of bonus payments are nothing more than trying to ensure they make it look good even though it will leave us worse off in the long run. My vote is not for sale!
5. By freezing our allowances, rather than indexing as is the case now (and has always been the case) they are putting us even further behind the 8 ball. We will be earning a 2007 wage, paying 2009, 2010, 2011 etc. prices and so the money we're earning we will be having to pay more out of effectively to live. For the next 3 years no adjustement will be made to balance out the increase in value of our expenses.
6. By increasing our hourly max. you will notice a decrease in your over nights - easier to get crew back to home port - especially as they now have an extra 5 hours per month to toy with.
7. Our min. rest is now 12 hours at home port, not 15. By making it a bid option, the default setting is 12. The pilots have it the other way around - they still get default of 15 but can bid for 12.
8. As for available days, since when is 18 hours max. the end of the never ending day? And another thing, the available rate stays the same for the life of the document. So, if they do in fact call you out on an available in 2 years from now (after we finally get a pay rise), you may in fact end up being paid less than your standard hourly rate at the time.
9. Here is the most important thing...if we sign this, we are signing these changes in forever. WE WILL NEVER GET THEM BACK. Did they give us anything back in this one? We will send a message that says "you can get away with this and we will let you" so next time we sit at the table they will know just how pliable we really are. Maybe they will just settle for bonus payments for every year in the next year, and no pay rise? If we were happy with it for 2 years, why not try for every year next time? Maybe they'll try and take away our allowances all together? If we didn't mind them freezing them this time, would we care if they took them away?
We will be instrumental in signing away all of those rights that protected our health, our safety and our sanity that colleagues before us, fought for. Some may call them old-boilers but maybe that is just because they were tough and stood their ground. Let's make sure we do this career proud and protect it from those that want to turn it into a transient job. They say that is what it is now but how many crew do you know that have been here since it's early days? It isn't as transient as they would like us to believe. Let's keep it real and not buy into their new round of propaganda!