Wirraway
9th Jul 2003, 23:11
ABC Online
Max wields his axe at Sydney airport
Sydney airport is to lose 40 per cent of its work force, with the chief executive of the corporation living up to his nickname of Max "The Axe" Moore-Wilton.
The Sydney Airport Corporation has unveiled a new organisational structure that will see its current full-time workforce of 400 reduced to 240 by June next year.
A statement says the new structure is designed to sharpen customer focus, improve service delivery and lift operational efficiency for the benefit of customers, trading partners and shareholders.
Mr Moore-Wilton was not available for interview but a spokesman says non-core functions such as maintainence, airfield lighting and baggage handling support will be contracted out.
Workers in those areas are to be offered jobs where possible with those awarded the contracts.
Naomi Arrowsmith from the Community and Public Sector Union says it is angry it was not consulted about the changes.
"We were aware that they had intended to have some redundancies but 40 per cent of the staff to go has come out of the blue for us," she said.
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News.com
Max axes airport staff
10jul03
MAX 'the Axe' Moore-Wilton is at it again -- this time slashing 40 per cent of the workforce at Sydney Airport Corporation.
The man who made his name cutting down the federal public service yesterday struck in his new private sector job.
Mr Moore-Wilton, SACL's chief executive, announced the airport's staff would be progressively cut from 400 to 240 by June next year.
The Community and Public Sector Union said administrative, operations and maintenance staff would all be hard hit.
"Our members are so disappointed and very confused about what is going on," CPSU national organiser Naomi Arrowsmith said.
"Management plan to spill and fill, which means all positions are declared vacant and people are only brought back if they apply for their job and get it -- and accept an Australia Workplace Agreement.
"It seems Max the Axe has been brought in to cut jobs to maximise profits for Macquarie Bank."
Ms Arrowsmith said staff were shocked by the scale of the cuts and the lack of consultation with unions, as required under the federal Workplace Relations Act.
A meeting of all unions -- the CPSU, Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union -- would take place on Monday.
Industrial action was a possibility and action in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is likely.
"SACL promised $380 million [before tax earnings] to its owner, Macquarie Bank, for the financial year just finished," Ms Arrowsmith said. "How can they be getting close to such a result and still axe 40 per cent of jobs?"
The union was concerned that jobs vital to air safety, from top administrators to workers checking runways for debris, would be contracted out to people with less experience.
But Mr Moore-Wilton defended the "new organisational structure" and insisted safety would remain paramount.
"The new structure is designed to sharpen the customer focus and improve service delivery, and to lift operational efficiency for the benefit of customers, trading partners and shareholders," he said.
"Safety and security remain paramount in airport operations and will not be adversely affected by the new structure.
"While the redesign will result in a reduction in SACL's head count, staff working in certain functions designated for contracting out will be offered employment where possible with contracted service providers."
Sydney Airport was bought last year by a Macquarie-led consortium for $5.6 billion. Earlier this year it appointed Mr Moore-Wilton as CEO, after he quit as Prime Minister John Howard's department head.
He said "non-core" functions would be contracted out, but argued SACL would become "more focused, with fewer layers of management".
============================================
Max wields his axe at Sydney airport
Sydney airport is to lose 40 per cent of its work force, with the chief executive of the corporation living up to his nickname of Max "The Axe" Moore-Wilton.
The Sydney Airport Corporation has unveiled a new organisational structure that will see its current full-time workforce of 400 reduced to 240 by June next year.
A statement says the new structure is designed to sharpen customer focus, improve service delivery and lift operational efficiency for the benefit of customers, trading partners and shareholders.
Mr Moore-Wilton was not available for interview but a spokesman says non-core functions such as maintainence, airfield lighting and baggage handling support will be contracted out.
Workers in those areas are to be offered jobs where possible with those awarded the contracts.
Naomi Arrowsmith from the Community and Public Sector Union says it is angry it was not consulted about the changes.
"We were aware that they had intended to have some redundancies but 40 per cent of the staff to go has come out of the blue for us," she said.
==========================================
News.com
Max axes airport staff
10jul03
MAX 'the Axe' Moore-Wilton is at it again -- this time slashing 40 per cent of the workforce at Sydney Airport Corporation.
The man who made his name cutting down the federal public service yesterday struck in his new private sector job.
Mr Moore-Wilton, SACL's chief executive, announced the airport's staff would be progressively cut from 400 to 240 by June next year.
The Community and Public Sector Union said administrative, operations and maintenance staff would all be hard hit.
"Our members are so disappointed and very confused about what is going on," CPSU national organiser Naomi Arrowsmith said.
"Management plan to spill and fill, which means all positions are declared vacant and people are only brought back if they apply for their job and get it -- and accept an Australia Workplace Agreement.
"It seems Max the Axe has been brought in to cut jobs to maximise profits for Macquarie Bank."
Ms Arrowsmith said staff were shocked by the scale of the cuts and the lack of consultation with unions, as required under the federal Workplace Relations Act.
A meeting of all unions -- the CPSU, Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union -- would take place on Monday.
Industrial action was a possibility and action in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is likely.
"SACL promised $380 million [before tax earnings] to its owner, Macquarie Bank, for the financial year just finished," Ms Arrowsmith said. "How can they be getting close to such a result and still axe 40 per cent of jobs?"
The union was concerned that jobs vital to air safety, from top administrators to workers checking runways for debris, would be contracted out to people with less experience.
But Mr Moore-Wilton defended the "new organisational structure" and insisted safety would remain paramount.
"The new structure is designed to sharpen the customer focus and improve service delivery, and to lift operational efficiency for the benefit of customers, trading partners and shareholders," he said.
"Safety and security remain paramount in airport operations and will not be adversely affected by the new structure.
"While the redesign will result in a reduction in SACL's head count, staff working in certain functions designated for contracting out will be offered employment where possible with contracted service providers."
Sydney Airport was bought last year by a Macquarie-led consortium for $5.6 billion. Earlier this year it appointed Mr Moore-Wilton as CEO, after he quit as Prime Minister John Howard's department head.
He said "non-core" functions would be contracted out, but argued SACL would become "more focused, with fewer layers of management".
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