Controllers to Stopwork
This has just been sent to me:
The Civil Air National Executive via telephone hook-up have unanimously carried the following resolution which is now issued as a directive to all Civil Air members:
“That the National Executive, in accordance with Rule 22(b)(6), authorises Industrial Action in the form of a National Stop Work on Friday 14 June 2002, between 1600 and 2100 EST.”
The purpose of this industrial action is to pursue our industrial claims, and to demonstrate that the rejection by Airservices of the Civil Air proposal put on 3 June 2002, is completely unacceptable. Civil Air and its members believe that further discussion should be required to fully explore all of the issues identified in our submission. At this point Airservices have
simply rejected the proposal, without any detailed response on the individual items.
Airservices has continued to reject any fair and open negotiation for the last 18 months with this Association.
Civil Air believes that Airservices’ prime focus in these ‘negotiations’ has been to de-value the career of Air Traffic Control.
Civil Air members have implemented new technology, which has resulted in significant savings for the industry as a whole and yet, as recognition, the members have been offered less than a CPI increase with a ‘Restructure’ that attacks the present structure in terms of salary and salary only. This is in addition to the wage freeze that has been in place since the nominal expiry of the previous Agreement.
Civil Air has proposed a review of the business that will provide significant savings industry wide by not simply reducing controllers’ wages.
The employer has rejected the Civil Air proposal out of hand. The proposal put by Civil Air, in part, attempts to reduce the amount of managers in the organisation. Airservices is a significantly profitable business and has many cost saving initiatives that could be implemented. Management rejected this concept, and have directed their savings initiatives against those employees who generate their income (core business).
In submissions before the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) Civil Air sought the opportunity to present our proposals in detail. Commissioner Gay encouraged that approach
however Civil Air believes that the proposals received scant consideration by Airservices’
representatives. As you would be aware, Airservices has now re-activated their application for termination of the Civil Air bargaining period.
Airservices and the Australian Industrial Registrar have been advised of this industrial action in accordance with section 170MO(2) of Workplace Relations Act 1996.
Ted Lang
PRESIDENT
Looks like things are hotting up again.
Tacolote.