Jetstar Pilots be warned... Qantas pilots bearing gifts!
Caveat: The following is a generalisation; but according to this thread, majority rules right..
A little history regarding AIPA...
I had a bit to do with AIPA some years back, namely the QF pilot integration "dispute". Whereby, it was very easy to prove QF was deliberately pillaging its Ansett owned regional airlines for pilots, however barely recruiting a soul from its own regionals. Makes business sense I guess, but not overly fair for those within the QF regional ranks wishing to further their career.
AIPA's president of the time came to speak to us en masse (by invitation), and made it blatantly clear that his membership had absolutely zero interest in becoming involved in the ensuing legal action, other than to support the company in locking regional pilots out.
I found him, and by default the majority of those he represented to be arrogant, self serving and myopic. AIPA then went further in creating LIFELONG enemies by having a senior 747 Captain take the stand in the subsequent legal action, saying under oath, that regional pilots would not be suitable for a Qantas long haul operation, as they "lacked instrument flying experience". As well as similar comments of idiocy.
Yes, it's true, read the transcript.
Another important note: AFAP supported the regional pilots throughout this legal battle, when ultimately it would have been to their membership numbers detriment had the case had won. Every regional pilot would then have fallen under AIPA's banner on employment.
That's pragmatic representation...no?
AIPA were warned that they may have awoken a sleeping giant amongst the regional pilot group with their attitude. It was nothing short of hatred at the time. Naturally, QF management could see this division as a potential windfall, and the seed was sewn for seeking the option of encroaching on the domestic jet market, offering a slightly lesser package to regional pilots. Who naturally would have jumped at the chance.
Ultimately through circumstance, it fell into the lap of Impulse. And full credit to those within Impulse who had the foresight to negotiate the deal. Many owe those people the jobs they now hold within Jetstar.
So ultimately, I feel AIPA is partly resonsible for the creation of Jetstar. And funnily enough, despite all AIPA's venom against Jetstar on it's inception, now want us as "friends" and have us join their spiteful union.
You can't tell me that there isn't an ulterior motive; like the re-establishment of QF ghost numbering on the JQ seniority list. Especially that now it would seem that JQ is the only facet of the business with any real expansion? Or maybe to try and create parity in pay and conditions will ultimately take the heat off QF mainline, potentially at JQ's expense however?
Any which way you look at it, its to serve their own purpose, as it has always been. And if push were to come to shove, JQ pilots are the lesser portion of their membership, and will be out voted on just about everything.
So for those younger generation of JQ pilot who have fallen for the slick spoon salesmen tactics of AIPA and its cohorts within JQ, be warned the Trojan horse.
JQ was formed, exists and will continue to grow because industrially it isn't QF. For greedy pilot's to try and make it such will only see the whole shebang put to bed. And maybe that would suit AIPA right down to their socks.
And for the record, I wonder how many AIPA members are even aware that AIPA is spending a small fortune on this current FWA case regarding Jetstar's (quite legal in my opinion) Right of Return implementation relating to the pilot displacement/base realignment FSO at Jetstar? Certainly those friends of mine at QF weren't aware.
It's all smoke and mirrors: AIPA's case is designed at achieving:
1. To prove to JQ pilot's that they're the schoolyard bully - and that they're the tail wagging the dog where they come from. May get a nasty shock at JQ however...
2. Create mass disruption to JQ expansion plans (tie the whole thing up in a legal quagmire), stifling training plans, costing the company millions.
No one doubts Jetstar senior management made a mess of the base realignment - but lets be pragmatic about its unwinding, as they seem to be.
The irony is, there will be so much expansion if we work WITH the company, everyone will end up ultimately where they want to be, in the chair they want to be in, within the next 12-24 months anyway.
Let's leave AIPA and their agenda out of it.