Lobby your Federal Parliamentarians now!
I am not a Qantas pilot, but many of the issues affecting Qantas apply to the whole aviation industry within Australia. The problems lie mainly in the 'open skies' policy of all Australian Federal Governments for many years, along with the high Australian Dollar, globalisation and Australia's unyielding commitment to free trade. From an industrial point of view, it is worth noting that some sectors of our community are of the view that globalisation of their own workplace, including efficiency gains and competitive pricing is not required of themselves. For them it should only apply to those working at the coalface in manufacturing or select service industries. In the modern Australia, company CEO's, company directors, dentists, lawyers, politicians, bankers, financiers and many others do not allow their own conditions to be subject to the pressures of these global financial forces. It seems that only employees at a certain level are required to be subject to the outcomes of free trade and international competition.
Australian tourists are happy to head off to overseas destinations with their high value Australian dollar but are increasingly choosing to fly with cheaper Asian and Middle Eastern airlines. None of this expenditure helps to increase our ownership of Australian domestic airline infrastructure or to encourage people to 'holiday at home'. This is all seemingly fair if we are willing to sacrifice our own airlines, manufacturing industries, local internal tourism and the conditions Australia should be able to afford all of its citizens without discrimination. Our unfettered focus on free trade has seen so much of our industry and endeavours exported to foreign lands. Countries like the UAE are able to carry passenger numbers way in excess of the numbers who would be travelling to their own cities and encourages them to use large aircraft with economies of scale which would not be justified for their own markets. They can operate without paying taxes to their state of origin. Is this really free trade?
The breathtaking front of Alan Joyce to increase his own salary by 70 percent at a time when he is requiring restraint from his lower order staff, only goes to show the hypocrisy of of his and other corporate leaders positions. The 'do as I say, not as I do' mentality is alive and well. He had any number of reasons to justify his own remuneration increase when interviewed this morning. Their was not the slightest doubt in his mind of his own financial worthiness! We presently have young people around the world gathering in big cities to protest the greed and self indulgence of the corporations and institutions which govern their lives. I believe that we need to undertake a fundamental review of the directions we are taking in Australia.
Corporate strategies match the determinations of government policy by attempting to drive down Australian conditions and pay rates to the 'Asian' floor price. Remember our electronics, textile and manufacturing industries? I've seen them vanish at an ever increasing rate since the early sixties. We can't continue to give everything away, including our technologies and know-how to the cheapest overseas cost base while still expecting Australians to have an 'Australian dream'. Such policies also play into the hands of the globalised corporate world which is based on ever expanding consumption rates in a resources stretched world. They want resources from those countries that have them, but only the labour of the cheapest bidder. We can be a 'mine site' under this system, but not a manufacturer unless we conceed to the lowest pay rates on offer world wide. Protectionism has become a dirty word, but in a world where even the great capatlist nation of the USA has protectionist policies, why are we so liberal with our markets?
If you have views on the current Qantas dispute and how aviation in Australia is being downgraded to the compete with the lowest foreign costings, now is the time to lobby your own Federal member and the Federal Ministers who determine our domestic policies. I urge you to get typing now!