Firstly, I am employed at JHAS, but am not in any position to be aware of redundancy selection criteria or any rumours surrounding it.
I do work with those on 457 visas and in most cases cannot question their competancy or resposibility.
What I do know from reading the above is :
These LAME's were brought in initially to provide a skill set not available at the time. A330 Mech and Avionics.
JHAS has trained numerous people in the meantime with A330 courses in both trades. At a rough count 20.
Currently the 457's work in a day/night 7 day shift environment, as do the majority of those trained.
As far as I am aware, no one willing to work in this same environment, is under threat of redundancy.
Whereas, the few who may be, with the same qualifications, have refused to work the shift pattern that actually makes them available when the majority of the A330 maintenance is carried out.
Wages, as far as I am aware - are comparable. I certainly can't go to JQ without losing money.
Whilst I am all for protecting the Local (having spent 5 years as an expat, I always knew I was in the gun first), this argument has been skewed.
Concerning JHAS, we are all aware that it was set up and originally managed by those out of their league.
This was followed by others more used to running a building site.
Now we've upgraded to the guy who brought us Myki.
What I have noticed though, is there is now an intense focus on a quality product at the expense of short cuts. A focus on Safety with the employment of a QF person that takes it all seriously.
I have heard recently, that no longer will we be the whipping boy of the Customer and if rumours are true, recent events show this.
I can only hope that this trend upwards continues and the snide remarks of disaffected workers and former workers will fade to a whisper.
As for the ALAEA, good luck to you.