QF Tech uniforms.....Jackets....New Coats...etc

[blueloo]

Just when we are finally given a new useful coat, the team from QANTAS disengagment (latest FSO), have decided that Coats can only be used with Jackets underneath........ Does that mean that plastic raincoats (the 30cent ones provided) can only be worn, with Jackets, AND coats underneath?


Of course, when you wear all this, you will be the size of a beachball, so you had better put your High vis vest on too.


So no doubt being the creatures of habit, it will be back to short sleeve shirts in all temperatures because who can be bothered carring all the extra jackets around.



ANyway rant over.

[FlexibleResponse]

Changes to uniform or regulations governing the wearing of uniform is a standard tactic used by management to deflect attention of the uniform wearers from the real issues on which they should be concentrating.

Changes of this nature can generally be viewed as the precursor to an attack by management on pay and conditions of service.

Give it the respect it deserves and laugh in their faces at any ridiculous rules by retaliatory action such as a general consensus in nominating any signatory to such changes as a “uniform Nazi” or similar disparaging terms.

Keep your eye on the ball and keep your guard up to the important issues.

[speedbirdhouse]

The following may help to illustrate the point Flexible Response is making.


---------------
Revealed: Aer Lingus 'quit or be pushed' plan
From Irish Independent:
(need to be registered)
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independ...&issue_id=12759

AER Lingus developed a 12-point plan to make life difficult for its employees in order to persuade 1,800 staff to accept voluntary redundancy.

The plan included:

* Suggesting the airline would introduce a tacky uniform for cabin crew.

* Tedious training programmes for some pilots.

* Deliberately changing shift patterns to make life at the company uncomfortable.

According to one informed source there was also a suggestion that cabin crew, including older air hostesses, would have to abandon their current uniform for jumpsuits and t-shirts.

The total plan is documented in a confidential Aer Lingus report called "Business Plan - HR (Human Resources) strategy 2004".

The 12 initiatives designed to make life difficult for staff are referred to in the documents as "environmental push factors".

A spokeswoman for the company acknowledged that the document had been drawn up by Aer Lingus but dismissed it as a "discussion document". She said: "Those tactics have never been embraced by either the past or present management team."

Nowhere in the 40-page report is there any suggestion that it is a draft or discussion paper.

It states that initiatives to make life uncomfortable for staff were essential to the success of the voluntary severance scheme which was, in turn, essential for the success of the business plan.

The report states: "Environment (sic) push factors are key to driving applications (for the voluntary severance scheme)". The document then details the 12 "push factors".

Top of the list is: " 'Tap on the shoulder' of all relevant superintendents." This is understood to be a reference to 200 supervisor-grade employees who were individually approached by senior management and told they had no future with the company.

The second "push" factor listed calls for performance improvement plans. Sources said these were designed to put staff under pressure at work. The third push factor listed is "attendance management".

One of the more controversial initiatives in the plan comes in at number four and is titled "adverse changes in work/shift patterns". Adverse shift changes would make life at Aer Lingus particularly difficult for employees with families.

The fifth of the strategies outlined is "called lack of availability of IWSL". This is a reference to "In Week Special Leave" which gives cabin crew the option of flexible working arrangements.

The ninth "push factor" is called "assignment to resource centre". It is understood this initiative was aimed at surplus pilots who would be assigned to the centre, known by some staff as 'Guantanemo Bay', where they would spend weeks on training modules which, according to one source, were considered by pilots to be boring and tedious.

A number of the 12 points have already been implemented. These include number 10, "no transport", which is a reference to the abolition of the special bus which ferried cabin crew working unsociable shifts to and from airport car parks.

Other initiatives include "closure/reduction of bases", "significantly reduced overtime" and "working contracted hours".

The HR strategy also deals with plans to reduce employment levels by outsourcing services such as catering and cleaning. Under the terms of an EU regulation written in to Irish law, the 1977 Transfer of Undertaking Protection of Employment (TUPE), the new contractor is obliged re-employ existing staff.

According to the report the way to avoid transfers is to make TUPE offers "unattractive". It states: "An 'unattractive' TUPE offer will give surplus staff the option to transfer to new service provider with no exit package, reduced pension rights and lessened security of employment."

Tom McEnaney

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[blueloo]

Wouldnt Surprise me ....... Management (the disengagment team) tend to keep distracting everyone - indirect threats of job security and relevance to vote for EBAs.........it is relentless.


And they wonder why everyone is so unhappy..............

[Keg]

...it will be back to short sleeve shirts in all temperatures because who can be bothered carring all the extra jackets around.

Perhaps they know that and the tactic is actually a fuel saving device. If we all carry around 2kg less baggage then over a period of a year, we will have saved 2.8 tonne of fuel. As an added incentive, management bonuses will be increased in light of the fuel saving! :E :}

Got to admit that I read the same thing, thought the same thing and then figured that it's thier train set so I may as well start building that bridge! Anyone seen my hammer and nails? :} (Never expected to see it here on PPRUNE though BL....you need to find a more constructive way of 'venting'! :ok: )

[blueloo]

Well these days with so much uncertainty as to who actually posts under someones real name or otherwise on QREWR. one might as well post it here.

[Bumpfoh]

Saw an interesting modification to a new flight crew hat the other day whilst in a flight deck.
It involved fitting the plastic shirt collar support into the inside of the hat thus pushing it upright, the end result was the pilot wearing it looked something akin to Casey Jones, still wearing the correct uniform though.

Someone taking the p#ss I gather. :}

[Howard Hughes]

Saw an interesting modification to a new flight crew hat the other day whilst in a flight deck.
So what is it with hat modifications anyway? Surely the damn things are meant to be worn as they arrive, not modified to look like some WWII Luftwaffe pilot!! You don't see military personnel desecrating their hats, so why do we?

Cheers, HH.

:ok:

[blueloo]

What is ze problem? Beware Ze Hun in ze sun! :}

[Like This - Do That]

Howie

Perhaps this could be amended?

Surely the damn things are meant to be worn as they arrive, not modified to look like some WWII Luftwaffe pilot!! You don't see military personnel desecrating their hats, so why do we?

Personally I never tried wearing a new unbashed Hat KFF straight from the clothing store!!!! Didn't want to upset the RSM or the Adj!!!

And berets? Rip out the lining, soak 'em, mould 'em, and burn the frizz off.

I take your point tho'

[oicur12]

Surely the whole hat and tie and gold bars uniform thing is a throwback from a bygone era.

Do we really need hats. Or ties.

[Keg]

Surely the damn things are meant to be worn as they arrive, not modified to look like some WWII Luftwaffe pilot!!

So the option is to instead wear it unmodified and look like a present day Russian border guard?!?! :E The hat just sits wrong and looks crap on most people if minor modifications aren't done. Not a fan of the new cap badge either!! It looks unbalanced now with the smaller 'coat of arms' (I know it's not a REAL coat of arms!).

[Mud Skipper]

oicur12,

For some of us hats are our only form of sun protection and it keeps the girls from getting too excited when they see our solar sex panels. :D :D :D

The tie on another hand is an important survival tool. Well seasoned it can normally be cooked in a pot to release months of slopped gravy etc and provide a healthy meal for hundreds of stranded passengers. :yuk:

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

Ah yes, the "Survival Tie". I am sure I saw a reference to that in the emergency manual.

Ingredients:

1 "Seasoned" uniform tie.(note: SO ties are known to be enormously rich in food residue).

1 Bowl of hot water, perhaps heated from the burning wreckage.

1 Crash axe. To keep the damn passengers away.

1. Pair of undies. (for filtering).

Combine and season to taste.

I think however you have grossly overestimated the nutritional value of any tie used to make "survival soup." Remember, this is the remnants of crew meals we are talking about here.

[blueloo]

I think it is the years of bacterial growth in a reduced atmosphere which give the tie the nutrition

[Howard Hughes]

Like this Do that,

Perhaps instead of hats, I should have said caps!

I am aware that military personnel do alter some headgear, however no matter how much reshaping is done, the insignia is still always worn vertical and with pride!! This you must admit is a little different to what we see amongst our pilot brethren.;)


Herr Keg,
The hat just sits wrong and looks crap on most people if minor modifications aren't done
I am not talking about minor modifications, I am talking about major restructuring of the cap and altering it's whole appearance. A cap is designed to have a flat top, to reshape the sides down, or attempting to squash it in any way totally defeats the purpose of wearing it, IMHO. We may as well be wearing baseball caps on backwards!!:{ (admittedly they may be a lot more practical than the current issue)


oicur12,
Surely the whole hat and tie and gold bars uniform thing is a throwback from a bygone era.
Do we really need hats. Or ties.
Perhaps this is so, however as we are currently required to wear them, my point is to wear them with pride and treat them with respect, even more relevant considering as you so kindly pointed out, the roots in pilotage tradition...:hmm:

Das vidania comrades, HH.

:ok: