Well, it has all been covered before but because Kaptin M seems to suffer from an extremely flat learning curve if not an inverse one here we go again!
It was ALL about money but the AFAP did not want to address Productivity improvements.
The AFAP set out on a course in the belief that their "king hit" resignation strategy would achieve victory so they purposely entrapped their members into resigning.
Any person who, in the clear light of the following day, did not realise that the companies had been handed a loaded gun was not in possession of his faculties. Most probably most realised the folly but decided to hang on in the desperate hope that reason would prevail. It is understandable that they could not bring hemselves to believe that tha AFAP could be so arrogant and incompetent.
The reality was that, however unfortunate the fact, right then and there, they had severed all links with their employers and had just surrendered every aspect of seniority and award conditions. In any case the AFAP, by it's behaviour at the IRC, had caused the awards to be cancelled as part of the "strategy". Not only that thy had wiped out the superannuation benefits of pilots with less than ten years service.........a gift to the companies which TN admitted amounted to $50 million and I guess AN was similar. It was never going to be the same again.
They had given the employers a clean slate
So the employers advertised for pilots, locally to start with, and then overseas when the AFAP held their pilots back in the belief that sufficient pilots were not available. The reality was that there was no shortage of pilots. Not only that but the AFAP had chosen the northern winter for the exercise just when there was a surplus of aircraft and crews able to be deployed to Australia. The companies would have much preferred to get their crews back but with the productivity improvements did not require so many. It is often said by Kap M that if everyone to man had stayed out that the AFAP would have won. The reality is that not one AFAP pilot would have got back because the positions would have all been filled from other sources. Meanwhile AFAP pilots pushed aside GA pilots while remonstrating with them not to apply to the airlines. As well, they competed with pilots overseas for positions while reserving their places back in Australia.
It was simply not going to happen! By the time the AFAP released their pilots all positions had been filled and promotion from that point was from within the existing pool, that is no Direct entry Captains.
I doubt very much the stories about AFAP members interfering with aircraft cockpits. However many 89ers did find themselves rostered by their new employers at the AN Simulator Centre and did take the odd liberty there.Harassment was very much from the 89er's side including physical assault, property damage, obscene and abusive phone calls both at home and overnight stops to disrupt. rest periods etc Nasty things like concocted stories to wives about "girlfrieds"........Some true!...pornographic videos ordered and sent to home addresses and the old favouriteof sending a prostitute to hotel rooms in the middle of the night to disrupt rest. Ho hum!
What can I say? Kap M's money figures are hilarious! He was given the true figures years ago but the fantasy persists. If he believes all the boasts of the crew room "Financial Rambos"
about their massive wealth he will believe anything. Most of those guys also have massive debt, so serves them right, but a few of the "silent" ones have done allright. The fact that Kap M trumpets his wealth so energetically gives one pause for thought.
Anyhow, it has all been covered before........bedtime for me...Bye
