Caught
this in the Oz this morning:
Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association may field candidates at election
THE union representing licensed aircraft engineers is considering fielding candidates in key airport seats during the federal election, and is seeking talks with political parties about which way preferences should be directed.
The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association has warned Labor not to take its support as a given and says it will back only those parties prepared to support aviation.
It has called for members willing to become candidates as part of a Stand up for Aviation campaign that it warns could include Transport Minister Anthony Albanese's seat of Grayndler. It plans to offer preferences to whichever party best fits its bill.
The union said the campaign would cover four key areas: maintaining a strong local aviation industry; supporting employers who give Australian workers priority; keeping Qantas Australian and making the Civil Aviation Safety Authority effective.
It cited Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and MP Bob Katter as two examples of politicians who had stood up for aviation.
"As a small union, we are often overlooked by the major parties and we have learnt over the years that the smiles and handshakes in their offices mean nothing," ALAEA federal executive Steve Purvinas told members in a letter.
Mr Purvinas told The Australian the union's disillusionment with Labor, which he accused of being in "complete disarray", stemmed mainly from the federal government's actions to call in Fair Work Australia during the Qantas dispute. But he said there had been other factors, such as changes to engineering licences and a restructure of the Fair Work Act which made it harder for the union to pursue job security.
"We're shopping around for a party that's going to support aviation," he said. "The Labor Party pretty much automatically expects all of the unions to stand behind them for the election but we've found their love of us isn't unconditional and ours for them should not be either."
Mr Purvinas said political parties were being offered the chance to talk to the union and the executive would make a decision on how far it would go at the end of the month. He believed the seats where the union would run candidates would include "a hell a lot of airport workers who'd support the policies we've put forward".
Small but effective Steve!
Q/ Steve while you were talking to the Oz is that when you were asked to pass comment on the AG's
mobile phone slip up?
Either way keep up the good work Steve!