Just to answer a few questions that have appeared in this thread.
Oh and by the way FEDSEC why do we allow scabs to work along side us there is one at the moment who is repositioning for team 380
I'm often asked about thi but legally there is not much we can do about it. If a company wants to employ them they will but they must know that each and every scab is known and their engagement creates tension in the workplace. I somehow think that companies like this tension but it is certainly counterproductive.
In the current system a conehead who get EIR for their first license gets about 3 levels. I believe the company and union are using the EBA and these new LAMEs as a bargaining tool for the new generation. Since they will be B1 and sign in all 5 categories it would seem fair that they enter the system at the same level as an initial EIR LAME, but apparently this isn't so.
The new LAMEs who pick up a 380 ticket do not fit into the pay stucture easily. If the company had it their way they would just say right, first licence you go to level 4. We say that they have first licence but the 380 sits outside the structure and attracts a dollar value of 6 points plus 4 for the B1 conversion. Problem is that they haven't converted anything, they just went straight there. We are currently trying to work through these issues as although nothing was converted, the third trade was picked up similar to an EIR LAME. An outcome to these discussions will be announced in a couple of weeks. These guys aren't being used as a bargaining tool by either party, I think that is just a cynical view of the complicated situation, I can understand blokes viewing the company motives with cynicism but we have always played this stuff with a straight bat.
No movement at EA meeting last week readers. The 16th of February draws closer and Qf have been well informed that we want something on the table by then. We aren't going to give them 12 months back pay to threaten us with this time around.