Here we go chaps........
Notice 54-2014 - All Qantas Members - Qantas LAME Update 22 July 2014
We met again yesterday with our friends from Qantas for discussions about the proposed LAME redundancies. As set out below a couple of relevant matters were discussed that I am sure will interest most members. But in other news we are told 8 LAMEs have applied for the 10 LAME positions in Perth. The option is still open and will remain so until the last half a dozen or who have been off on leave are told that their job no longer exists. In total there are now 69 on the CR list, confined to Melbourne and Sydney. All the potential Adelaide retrenchments have been avoided.
380 Rosters
During the course of the day there was discussion about the new crew make up in SAM. Management advised that the fifth pod crews would be absorbed into the SAM crews and that the 380 crews would move to the SAM roster, making a total of 30 crews.
We sought an explanation from the airline as to why we were 14 meetings into a consultation process and were only hearing for the first time from them that an entire section was moving rosters. We advised Qantas that they were in breach of the consultation provisions of our Workplace Determination because they had not outlined all aspects of the changes from the outset and were sitting on this further effect caused by the new model they are putting in place.
Tony Lowery then confirmed, after an intermission and legal advice, that no breach had occurred because the firm decision on the A380 roster change had only been made within the last week. A review of the consultation packs from March this year was then done. As early as March, and without notification to the ALAEA, they had already created SAM charts with all the A380 crews on the SAM roster. It is days like this that we feel justified in telling members not to trust a word that Qantas management say. They are just making up the story and excuses as they go.
Roster Ballot
The ALAEA Executive members also advised the airline that we seek a ballot in every section across the country for a return to 8 hour rosters.
This would be a ballot in every section where it will be your choice to keep your current extended hour roster and if you choose not to, it will be back to 8 hour days until such time that any follow up ballot was taken to return to an extended hour shift. I understand that this will begin considerable debate in the workplace and we will represent the views of employees to Qantas.
Steve Purvinas
Federal Secretary
A return to 8hr rosters eh? That might fill in more than a little of Texas Tony's "white space".
Bring it on!
