Chimbu at the end of the day, there has been antagonists on both side of the fence, there were the QF mainline guys who despised Impulse pilots, and there were Impulse pilots who couldnt have given a rats about mainline guys, they wanted the flying, and they didnt care what they did to get it.
Getting back to the main gist of the thread, I think we all agree that Joe has done an admirable thing by putting his own neck on the chopping block, the guy has shown more back bone than his mates at the top of the Jetstar seniority list...good on him for trying to instill some dignity back into the airline pilot profession..
The late 80's and early 90's spawned the likes of the Impulses's and National Jets, introducing paying for type ratings, bonds, bank guarentees, no one really gave a rats at the time as pilot jobs in Ansett and Qantas were hard to come by, if you stapled a $50 cheque to your application form and had $7,000 spare for a 1900 rating, you got a job with Impulse, or if you knew the right people, you got a job with National Jet..
I think its time we put it all behind us, the industry is looking bouyant again, we have seen AIPA and VIPA join forces, we need negotiators in our respective affiliations that can negotiate with integrity, respect and in a non-confrontational way, yet reminding the respective airline HR departments of the role of an airline pilot, the price we paid to get where we are today and remain where we are and the responsibilities of our role.
We have only taken this nose dive in conditions because we have allowed it, we have allowed the respect and dignity of the profession to be eroded by people with HR degrees that have no respect for us..If we have strong negotiators in our affiliations, and if we as a pilot group get behind them as a unified group instead of splinter groups undermining the cause, then we will see change i'm sure..
