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7 September 2009
Attention All FAAA Members
AIRC DELIVERS AIRCRAFT CABIN CREW AWARD 2010
-A COMPLETE OUTRAGE-
On 1 July 2009, the FAAA issued a comprehensive newsletter to our members about the “Award Modernisation” process that is being conducted by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC).
Last Friday, the AIRC delivered a batch of “modern awards” covering a range of industries including our occupation. Our new award is called the “Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2010”.
Our members can peruse this document by following this link:
http://www.airc.gov.au/awardmod/awards/cabin_crew.pdf
This new award shreds decades of hard work by the FAAA, its predecessor unions and its membership. Just a few examples will demonstrate this point:-
Flight attendant salary $32489 pa compared to the existing $34479 for a QCCA flight attendant or $54,859 for a QAL flight attendant.
Cabin Crew Supervisor salary of $38,126 pa compared to the existing $56,650 for a QCCA CSS or $67,098 for a QAL CSS.
Cabin Crew Manager salary of $44,761 pa compared to the existing $72,100 for a QCCA CSM or $78,849 for a QAL CSM.
Ordinary hours of work are based on 1872 hours per year! Currently QAL crew are paid on the basis of 1188.21 hours per year and QCCA and Jetstar International crew are paid on the basis of 1560 hours per year!
The Qantas/QCCA EBA8 has extensive provisions about accommodation standards and requirements. The new award simply says “employees away from home base on duty will be provided with appropriate accommodation and transport between the airport and hotel”. Decoded this could mean shared accommodation in some 4th rate hotel, and we could kiss goodbye our current taxi transport entitlements.
The Qantas/QCCA EBA8 inserted the 1983 meal allowance formula based on the actual prices of meals at the first class hotels that we stay in. It also provides for an annual review of those meal allowances based on menu price movements. The new award simply says “employees must be provided with all meals. Meals must be of an appropriate standard. The employer must pay an allowance instead of arranging the provision of meals. Such allowance must be of an adequate standard and reflect community norms”. It is highly interesting to note that the AIRC hints at what these “community norms” may be in relation to its view of cabin crew, because the basis for adjustment to meal allowances, even overseas meal allowances, would be the CPI movement IN AUSTRALIA for the “take away and fast foods sub-group”!
The FAAA is appalled at what the AIRC has determined to be our safety net for the future. I will be talking to our barrister Mr Jim Nolan about any legal options available to the FAAA.
Similar appalling determinations have been made in relation to our other colleagues in the airline industry including ground staff and the pilots. I will be using an upcoming meeting of Qantas Group unions chaired by the ACTU to raise this matter, as I’m sure other unions will do.
Following discussion with Mr Nolan, I will also be sending a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister in her capacity as Minister for Workplace Relations, outlining our members’ dismay at this appalling decision by the AIRC and asking her to take remedial action.
To our membership I stress that EBA8 applies until 17 December 2012, providing the best conditions in the world for our QAL and QCCA members. To the non members, I say the Award clearly shows the conditions that would apply if it wasn’t for a union composed of a dedicated membership and led by a competent leadership.
It is time for those non members to reconsider their decision not to be members. It is simply not good enough to maintain some spurious philosophical objections to membership but hypocritically continue to receive the benefits that their colleagues, through the FAAA deliver.
The expiration of EBA8 was always going to be a very challenging time as we move to protect our conditions. The AIRC through its new Award has just made it even more challenging. The only two things that will protect our members from the conditions in the new Award after EBA8 expires are firstly, a highly unionised and cohesive membership and secondly elected officials who are competent.
I will keep you updated on this matter in due course.
Written and authorised by Michael Mijatov – Secretary International Division.
20 Ewan Street Mascot NSW 2020 Tel 61 2 8337 1111 Fax 61 2 8337 1122 Emergency Contact 0414 894 192www.faaa.net