Sunstate and/or Eastern well NEVER operate jet equipment. The clause was put into the EBA for 1 reason only; competitive tension.
Don't misunderstand what I am saying. QLINK will operate jets, they already do courtesy of the B717. They will replace the 71's down the track, but it won't be Sunstate or Eastern pilots that fly them though. QF has already spent $600 million on Q400's and just last week announced a further 7 frames, exercising their options costing a further $218 million.
There is no way that QF would pass the replacement of the 717 onto the turboprop operation. By doing so they would compromise the entire operation with very low experience levels on both types. One only has to look at the problems that were encountered with the introduction of the Q400, let alone then having all these people move on to a different type and subsequently leaving a massive void in the experience levels to fill the Q400 LHS slots. It will not happen.
The Narrow Body jet clause was set into the EBA to keep the competitive tension there; to keep everybody "honest" and to get the job done at the lowest possible price. The only people this will effect are the guys and gals in Cobham when it comes time to renew the contract. This clause was inserted by a very calculating management to put further downward pressure on the wages of the QLINK jet pilots, and will be ruthlessly exploited by both QF and Cobham management when the contract renewal comes around. Mark my words.