Can't help feeling we've played into their hands.
Can you explain exactly how we've done that?
As for the LAX venture, as much as a slap in our faces that it is, it is a replacement for the current facility there. Not an additional one.
The agreement, as emphasised ad-nauseum by the FedSec, can never guarantee anyone against the future insanities of QE management.
There are only two guarantees in life and employment isn't one of them. However, there are at least a few more hoops that Qantas must jump through prior to repeating the shenanigans of July.
My gut feel is that come the end of the new agreement, all the current 65 "outstanding positions" will be more than over subscribed by volunteers. Combine that with the lack of training nationwide of apprentices (never mind proper LAME training outside of the cornflake packet courses being offered thru QAE et-al that people are suddenly climbing over each other to do), natural growth of business and natural attrition. Qantas will be absolutely screaming for qualified before long.
A major challenge will be to prevent them running to the government and playing the 457 visa card to bring people in from off shore to cover-up their negligence in lack of training and investment in the current QE employees.
Such actions by Qantas and Virgin would also be to the detriment of young Australians wanting to enter a career in Aviation Maintenance.
Unlike the recently department Mr Whitlam however, todays political leaders show little interest in local industry of any kind.
Perhaps that's the kind of fight we should be suiting up for in four years?
Of course you've played into their hands. All the leave will be used up and then it will be business as usual. Plus QF got their real win which is now being able to walk into negotiations with everyone else and say "look, the engineers signed up to the 18 months!".
(Above quote posted by Tuner 2 before he/she deleted this and all subsequent posts in this thread)
....Absolute Bollocks! Nowhere is it stated or implied that people must use ALL of their leave!
The VR process will however, be open to all and sundry to take advantage of over the course of the next four years. Now, as I read it however, if you're one of those sitting on a $450,000 to $500,000 golden handshake in the quest of "just one more year" beware. For in the case of a port such as Melbourne for example, where there are only 10 positions (or less) to be mitigated, once those 10 VR's are handed out that's it. The music stops, all the VR package musical chairs vanish, and any future VR's over the remaining 4 years will be dealt with on operational requirements. i.e. If you've got an A330 or A380 license then fat chance you'll get your package once the first 10 put up their hand for the VR.
That's an awful big chunk of retirement income that some people are putting at risk in their misguided belief that packages will always be there at the time they wish to depart Qantas.
Just some additional food for thought.
Yes, people who have excessive leave will have to take it.
That is, right up till the point that, using the Melbourne example again, those 10 people looking for VR take it. After that, the requirement for "leave burn" will cease.
Unless, that is, qantas wish to dilute their workforce further. Then yes, you might be asked to spend some extra time at home with your family before Qantas could start summary executions as they did last July.
Of courses, as anyone who works in qantas currently knows, the ability to get leave is currently rather difficult owing to staff shortages and workloads.
So, bring on the leave burn program I say. Why anybody should fear a reduced leave balance is beyond me.
With regard to the EBA negotiations between Qantas and other unions, no other union is compelled to follow the ALAEA's lead.
They ( the ALAEA) just did what they are elected to do. That is look after their members. And everyone who's livelihood and careers have just been saved agree with me.
If other unions want to take Qantas on for a better deal, there's nothing the ALAEA has done here that should prevent them from doing so.
.....that is if they're not afraid to stand on their own two feet and exhibit some cohonas as the ALAEA have actually done here and in 2008 and 2011.