It seems that there are many paradoxes currently in the SAM business.
Employees are being told that there is not enough work to justify their employment and yet the overtime requests are still coming through thick and fast.
Employees are told that new gen aircraft are technologically advanced and require less maintenance but the reality is the A380 bucket is overflowing, and the aircraft are not fixing themselves.*
Employee feedback meetings are being held weekly by the management and yet no believable answers or strategies are being presented.
There are two main components that drive the efficiencies on the shop floor.
First is the can do attitude of the Qantas engineer.*
Second is the 12 hour roster.
The can do attitude and dedication of the Qantas engineer is the single most effective tool that enables the efficiencies on the floor.*
This quality is something that cannot be measured by any accounting model and is an enigma to the management types as they have no direct control over it.
The 12 hour roster was adopted by the management and worker alike and has served both parties well.
However it appears that it also has created a corrupted labour hours data set that is now working against the engineers.
SAM is a supply / demand business.*
Aircraft numbers go down, there is a need to reduce the manpower.
To test the supply vs labour paradigm that is being used for the need to reduce the workforce, a reversion to an 8 hour roster will provide a much needed "resetting of the clock".
Engineers know the importance of working with accurate data.
It is therefore imperative that they provide an accurate data set to the management in order for them to crunch their numbers.
The idea is to give Chris Nassensteins' strategy team a more realistic perspective as to what labour hours are required, which will hopefully provide a more measured response to the impending redundant positions.
An 8 hour roster will capture those lost hours everyone is looking for.