The numbers point to Qantas wishing to make redundant LAME's with 'legacy' licences. Nothing to do with years of experience or terminal LAME's kicking out base maint LAME's with their licences. Qantas makes this decision, not the guys themselves being displaced. From a business point of view and the estimated $50-100k (whatever it is) company expense to train someone for a new type, why would Qantas make redundant people it can make use of in the new world ? Harsh but that's reality.
Perhaps it is time to look at something which would've made this a non issue in the first place. Base especially has had training severely curtailed in the last 10 years but it has been a nationwide trend. The provisions in the EBA for pay rises for each licence has had a negative overall impact on the staff development. An unintended consequence. Why are new licences still linked to pay rises ?
It might not have stopped redundancies but at least the guys being made redundant would've at least had qualifications that were useful in the outside world instead of a geriatric 767/747 licence.