I was one of those MAM flight attendants called by HR in SYD to ask whether I'd be interested in two days B747 endorsement followed by a 'possible' weeks flying. No mention was ever made of strikebreaking by the anonymous caller from HR but I'd been given a heads up that morning, fortunately and declined.
At the time I wrote quite extensively about it on the CC forum, encouraging others being called to do likewise. Unfortunately, after being out of work post Ansett and being starved of hours as a MAM casual, union solidarity is a high ideal indeed compared to paying next weeks grocery bill.
However, I felt strongly at the time that the company were conducting a dry run, testing the water temperature. They now feel confident that when, not if, but when push comes to shove, they have the numbers to achieve their 'final solution' in the destruction and elimination of unionism in Australian aviation.
While Ansett and Qantas held each other in industrial balance, the aviation industry in Australia was always guaranteed healthy union representation. What this federal government and industry players have achieved in Australian aviation is no different to what the same players achieved on the Australian waterfront in the early '90's. And, gee whiz, they're the same players in both scenario's. The Howard liberal govt., big business and none other than Patrick's Chris Corrigan who has profited enormously from both situations, at the expense of middle Australia.
Ansett did indeed commit it's own sins commercially, but the Howard govt were quick to realise and then convert the potential of the situation while at the same time leaving a stupid beyond belief Air NZ holding a dead Australian baby. Many of you have denied even the possibility of a behind the scenes 'hidden agenda' believing it to be nothing but the rantings of those who couldn't accept the painful truth. Perhaps it is time for that opinion to be revised. Perhaps it is time for those left standing to open their eyes and see the truth before it is all too late. Everything happens for a reason! Ansett didn't just collapse. It was but a plank in a longer term objective. An objective which, in it's final stages, is only now beginning to reveal itself for all it's sheer ugliness and brutality!
September 13th has gone down as a dark day in Australian Aviation for 16 000 people already. I fear it will come to be known as the day that heralded the beginning of the end for Australian aviation as we have ALL known and loved it.