Enagement
Truer words have not been spoken.......
I think your initiative is great and definitely worth a shot but unfortunately destined to fail.
I don't think the company understands or values the pilot profession or if it does has decided to exploit rather than reward the lack of mobility that is inherent with it. In years to come I see this leading to lower pilot standards and safety but this is perhaps another discussion for another time.
I think that the attitude of the company changed when management decided to confront, alienate, and make us the problem, rather than engage us and include us as part of the solution over the necessary introduction of jetstar.
Alan Joyce was central to that decision. What we see now stems from the fall out and the destruction of trust and spirit of cooperation that more or less existed between pilots and management prior to that.
I don't believe that any meaningful discussions can take place between pilots and management in the current environment with the current players.
I don't believe that the pilot body is in a position to change the current environment. We recently tried via dialogue and non militant means and were locked out of the work place. We have no other avenue or tools available to us and feel disenfranchised and impotent as a result.
I believe that the current management and Alan Joyce in particular has destroyed so much trust, respect, brand and share holder value, that they are now very much the problem and are unable to have a role in any solution.
I don't have any personal grievance to bear towards anyone but firmly believe that the first step on the road to restoring trust, respect, and share holder value is for both Alan Joyce and the Chairman who is ultimately responsible for appointing him to be replaced.
I wish you luck but think your efforts will be in vain so long as the current management continues to believe that "cost nuetral" initiatives can only be measured in dollars and cents directly and fails to see the ultimate value of loyal, contented staff and happy customers.
The lack of respect, trust and ultimately loyalty between management, staff and customers is what I believe to be the core problem and would put on top of my agenda. Fix that and all the other issues fix themselves.