Air Ace
23rd Aug 2002, 23:48
Still call Australia home – but only if we must!
Chinese label on Qantas uniform
The Sunday Mail
August 11, 2002.
By Rod Smith
QANTAS may still call Australia home but from next year the Flying Kangaroo cabin crew uniforms will be made in China or Indonesia.
The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union said the airline that spent $6 million on it’s “I Still Call Australia Home” advertisement had confirmed to the union that some of its uniforms could be made overseas.
Union NSW Secretary Barry Tubner said he had been told privately by Qantas officials that a new clothing awarded to the Dowd Corporation would involve overseas manufacture.
I was told the Dowd Group in Victoria won the contract on the basis the uniforms would be made overseas,” Mr Tubner said.
“Qantas said to me because of the September 11 disaster they had to go to the cheapest common denominator and no longer could they stick to their Australia made policy.”
The present Qantas uniforms designed by Sydney designer label George Gross and Harry Who in the early 1990’s, are made by 12 different suppliers in Sydney and Melbourne.
All have lost their contracts in a move one company director said would cost 300 jobs when Dowd takes over the contract next year.
A Qantas spokesman yesterday declined to rule out allowing the uniforms to be made off shore and would not respond directly to Mr Tubner’s claims.
The design review process has not been completed and no decision has been made,” he said.
“We’ve invited tenders for a new uniform contract. No contract has been signed”
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The concern is that a significant part of Australia’s foreign debt consists of capital equipment purchases, including aircraft, a debt our children will be paying for many years to come.
Whilst most Australians at least try to buy “Australian Made”, as Qantas attempts to “globalise” it would appear to have little regard for Australia, Australian manufacturers or the Australian economy.
How pathetic to blame September 11 for off shore purchases of uniforms and supplies, in a year Qantas declares a record profit!
Dowd Direct, one of whose labels is Country Road, is uniform suppliers to a number of Australian companies and institutions, including the National Australia Bank.
Chinese label on Qantas uniform
The Sunday Mail
August 11, 2002.
By Rod Smith
QANTAS may still call Australia home but from next year the Flying Kangaroo cabin crew uniforms will be made in China or Indonesia.
The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union said the airline that spent $6 million on it’s “I Still Call Australia Home” advertisement had confirmed to the union that some of its uniforms could be made overseas.
Union NSW Secretary Barry Tubner said he had been told privately by Qantas officials that a new clothing awarded to the Dowd Corporation would involve overseas manufacture.
I was told the Dowd Group in Victoria won the contract on the basis the uniforms would be made overseas,” Mr Tubner said.
“Qantas said to me because of the September 11 disaster they had to go to the cheapest common denominator and no longer could they stick to their Australia made policy.”
The present Qantas uniforms designed by Sydney designer label George Gross and Harry Who in the early 1990’s, are made by 12 different suppliers in Sydney and Melbourne.
All have lost their contracts in a move one company director said would cost 300 jobs when Dowd takes over the contract next year.
A Qantas spokesman yesterday declined to rule out allowing the uniforms to be made off shore and would not respond directly to Mr Tubner’s claims.
The design review process has not been completed and no decision has been made,” he said.
“We’ve invited tenders for a new uniform contract. No contract has been signed”
-------------------------------------------------------------
The concern is that a significant part of Australia’s foreign debt consists of capital equipment purchases, including aircraft, a debt our children will be paying for many years to come.
Whilst most Australians at least try to buy “Australian Made”, as Qantas attempts to “globalise” it would appear to have little regard for Australia, Australian manufacturers or the Australian economy.
How pathetic to blame September 11 for off shore purchases of uniforms and supplies, in a year Qantas declares a record profit!
Dowd Direct, one of whose labels is Country Road, is uniform suppliers to a number of Australian companies and institutions, including the National Australia Bank.