breakfastburrito I can totally understand your sentiments regarding JQ. I also totally agree that we all need to stand together on this one.
My concern over cadets is not about the individuals themselves, I'm sure most are very decent people, probably just like all the rest of us, just a little younger, less experienced and a little naive.
We do need to stop pointing the finger at other pilots and remember how hard it was getting into this gig. Most of us had to apply everywhere and take whatever opportunity presented itself. That’s just the way this industry has been. So we can't sit on our thrones from on high and condemn the pilots below us as they grapple to get a foot in the door. Would we really be any different if we were in their shoes now? (perhaps we would have studied IT or accountancy...)
It’s management that we all need to focus our collective efforts on. Its management that have continually pushed to erode the meagre T&C’s that we currently have. It’s management that are compromising safety by placing low time inexperienced pilots behind the controls of Australian airliners. It’s management who will try to conquer us by dividing and pitting us against each other.
And where does the leadership for this fight need to come from? It needs to come from senior captains in Qantas, Jetstar, AND Virgin. We are all going to suffer the same fate in the end. And its senior pilots in these companies who need to lead the charge.
So far there has been a JQ FO sacked over taking a stand, and on the 7:30 report I saw a QF SO taking a stand. The captains who have the most industrial clout, the most experience, and the least to lose need to stand up and realise they carry the leadership on this issue for future generations.
As my dad used to say, "always leave something in the tank for the next guy".