I think some here need to consider what AIPA was actually trying to achieve yesterday.
It was not a hearing about the merits of strict seniority... that is being heard on another day.
As it presently stands, in February there will be a hearing by FWA as to if Jetstar's current planned filling of vacancies is valid. That was not yesterdays hearing. Yesterday AIPA applied to have Jetstar not allocate vacancies until that case had been heard. The reason? A simple one. People will, under this next allocations, be required to relocate around the country, and begin training. In a month's time, if AIPA is successful, they will all have to move back, and the whole thing unravelled.
So, AIPA was trying to ensure that people were not unnecessarily relocated around the country while the legality of the allocations was in question.
The AFAP sided with the company, with the view that pilots SHOULD be relocated pending the decision of FWA.
I don't know about the AFAP members, but I would have thought that it would be better to know, WITH CERTAINTY, that your move was set in stone BEFORE being made to move across the country! Remember that members of the AFAP - The application they made yesterday was NOT to protect the current agreement... it was to ensure that Jetstar could move pilots around the country BEFORE it has been tested in court... something less than a month away.
If the AFAP wish to protect the current agreement (outside of strict seniority) that is their business... but they did not do that yesterday. Yesterday they sided with Jetstar that allocations should be made and people forced to relocate before the actual hearing was held. The AFAP could very easily have sided with jetstar about the agreement in place, however sided with AIPA in allowing pilots certainty before making them move. They chose not to do that.
And I thought they were supposed to protect their members interests, not have them moving around the country on Jetstar's whim.