Roll up..Join the Jetstar gravy train..
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Roll up..Join the Jetstar gravy train..
Well, the union has been hard at work to get the poor disenfranchised mainline drivers a seat at the Jetstar table. It looks like success is at hand though and mainline pilots will soon have an opportunity to get on the Jetstar gravy train. Undaunted by earning less than a 744 S/O they will happily fork out the reddies to get a look in and sport the coveted 4 bars of a Jetstar Capitano. Why, I bet if AIPA negotiates really hard then Magda may even hand out the bars at the command parties. Form an orderly queue please!
And it’s all no risk! After three years the company will give you a once off bid to come back to Momma. Miss that and its Jetstar for some time, like life. Do deals get any better than this?
On the flip side, Jetstar drivers can join the mainline party games if they want. Just a few small hoops to jump through with the headshrinker test and a few $$$$$$ for their endorsement and they too can check out the insides of heavy metal in no time flat.
QF mainline wannabes would be well advised to get a fourth job to build up the cash for the inevitable endorsement cost. Beancounters would have this high on their to do list.
NSW railways in the meantime will pay you $70K to tool around in a Tangara and ….you don’t have to pay for your endorsement. Why, you can even lodge your application for free!
Regional F/Os must scratch their heads at the calcs.
Let me see, they get 50K to fly the Dash and it's 5 checks a year, give or take a check or two, they gotta pass these checks or it’s the street, and do the medicals or it’s the street and spent heaps to get there.... and QF wont take ‘em cause they are in a subsidiary... and they struggle to support a family and etc etc etc. But there is hope, one day they will get to be Dash Skippers and get $80K!
Train drivers will probably be on a hundred by then. I never used to be a cynic but times have changed!
And it’s all no risk! After three years the company will give you a once off bid to come back to Momma. Miss that and its Jetstar for some time, like life. Do deals get any better than this?
On the flip side, Jetstar drivers can join the mainline party games if they want. Just a few small hoops to jump through with the headshrinker test and a few $$$$$$ for their endorsement and they too can check out the insides of heavy metal in no time flat.
QF mainline wannabes would be well advised to get a fourth job to build up the cash for the inevitable endorsement cost. Beancounters would have this high on their to do list.
NSW railways in the meantime will pay you $70K to tool around in a Tangara and ….you don’t have to pay for your endorsement. Why, you can even lodge your application for free!
Regional F/Os must scratch their heads at the calcs.
Let me see, they get 50K to fly the Dash and it's 5 checks a year, give or take a check or two, they gotta pass these checks or it’s the street, and do the medicals or it’s the street and spent heaps to get there.... and QF wont take ‘em cause they are in a subsidiary... and they struggle to support a family and etc etc etc. But there is hope, one day they will get to be Dash Skippers and get $80K!
Train drivers will probably be on a hundred by then. I never used to be a cynic but times have changed!
Last edited by bonvol; 14th Feb 2004 at 13:44.
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NSW railways in the meantime will pay you $70K to tool around in a Tangara and ….you don’t have to pay for your endorsement. Why, you can even lodge your application for free!
I don't like the idea of being a guard for 12 months tho'.
Only 100 or so Cyclic/Route checks to retirement
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My brother-in-law walked into an employment agency last week looking for a job. Started this week as a forklift driver for a large Australian mult-national company on 40k plus super and benefits. No weekends, no nights, no checks, no medical and he had diddly experience. Can't believe the packages they give to the regional drivers in OZ. You folks are worth way more than what you are getting.
This must surely shoot holes in the supply and demand theory that many crap on about. I wouldn't say there is a shortage of "Forkies" in this country.
This must surely shoot holes in the supply and demand theory that many crap on about. I wouldn't say there is a shortage of "Forkies" in this country.
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HJ, try this site.
http://www.jobs.nsw.gov.au/Start.asp
One of my relatives is a train driver "check captain" and tells me this is where they find future starters. There is also a 1300 number but he can't remember it at the moment. If it comes to mind I'll post it too.
He thinks I'm pulling his leg when I tell him Dash F/O's only get paid $50k or so. No self respectin' train driver would turn up for that sorta money.
http://www.jobs.nsw.gov.au/Start.asp
One of my relatives is a train driver "check captain" and tells me this is where they find future starters. There is also a 1300 number but he can't remember it at the moment. If it comes to mind I'll post it too.
He thinks I'm pulling his leg when I tell him Dash F/O's only get paid $50k or so. No self respectin' train driver would turn up for that sorta money.
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How will a mainline (ex) pilot ever manage to share a cockpit with a lowly 'Impulse' pilot who had to 'buy a job' ?
Just imagine, if you will, an in training High Priest of the QF cockpit 'slumming it' with the guys they regard so poorly.
Jeez, those cockpits are going to be a weird place?
Piss off and stay at QF, and let the gentiles have some feed at the trough....
Just imagine, if you will, an in training High Priest of the QF cockpit 'slumming it' with the guys they regard so poorly.
Jeez, those cockpits are going to be a weird place?
Piss off and stay at QF, and let the gentiles have some feed at the trough....
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Cunningham,
I gave up a forkie job (shift work) back in 1988 that paid $54k!!
My brothers-in-law now earn $85k in the same job at the same multi-national company. No checks, no medicals, little responsibility. The downside is it lacks the mental stimulation and satisfaction of flying.
Their management-staff relationship is on a level that some aviation companies should aspire to. IMHO they are around 20 years ahead of current practices.
Thankx for the link Bonvol.
I gave up a forkie job (shift work) back in 1988 that paid $54k!!
My brothers-in-law now earn $85k in the same job at the same multi-national company. No checks, no medicals, little responsibility. The downside is it lacks the mental stimulation and satisfaction of flying.
Their management-staff relationship is on a level that some aviation companies should aspire to. IMHO they are around 20 years ahead of current practices.
Thankx for the link Bonvol.
Just a minor omission there Bonvol, the Impulse guys cant come to QF until all mainline pilots have a command in QF (or attempted it). They are thinking at least 15 years.
At least that was what I was told.
At least that was what I was told.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
Well, the union has been hard at work to get the poor disenfranchised mainline drivers a seat at the Jetstar table. It looks like success is at hand though and mainline pilots will soon have an opportunity to get on the Jetstar gravy train. Undaunted by earning less than a 744 S/O they will happily fork out the reddies to get a look in and sport the coveted 4 bars of a Jetstar Capitano. Why, I bet if AIPA negotiates really hard then Magda may even hand out the bars at the command parties. Form an orderly queue please!
And it’s all no risk! After three years the company will give you a once off bid to come back to Momma. Miss that and its Jetstar for some time, like life. Do deals get any better than this?
On the flip side, Jetstar drivers can join the mainline party games if they want...
And it’s all no risk! After three years the company will give you a once off bid to come back to Momma. Miss that and its Jetstar for some time, like life. Do deals get any better than this?
On the flip side, Jetstar drivers can join the mainline party games if they want...
That is what being part of a union is all about.
From time to time I've stuck it up AIPA when I considered they were "slacking it", however this (as reported by bonvol) is, imo, worthy of a BIG plus +
Nunc est bibendum
Not how I read it ftr. I read it that they can come any time they like in their seniorority position. IE, come now and they're S/Os. Come in three years time and they can be F/Os on the 767. Twelve to fifteen years and they can be junior captains on whatever the junior type is, etc, etc, etc.
Then again, I stopped reading after about the second line....
Then again, I stopped reading after about the second line....
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Err..I don't feel much enthusiasm for paying for my endorsement and then earning less but I guess its better than nothing...I think"! 
Reminds me a bit of the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn who fights valiently to win the fair hand of Miss Prissy. When he finally gets her he shouts "I won, I won" and when he realises Miss Prissy is not exactly a glamour laments "Hmm must have been some way I coulda lost."
Reminds me a bit of the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn who fights valiently to win the fair hand of Miss Prissy. When he finally gets her he shouts "I won, I won" and when he realises Miss Prissy is not exactly a glamour laments "Hmm must have been some way I coulda lost."
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I was under the impression the Pilots turned up to a special general meeting late last year to sort this mess out.
What supposedly happened was that the AIPA comm held a meeting in the last few days and 20 vs 11 voted in favour of having a 7 in 20 positioning system to jetstar and jetstar get a QF seniority number.
(That means 11 people on the comm voted for what the 700 Pilots turned out for at the SGM - and 20 or so members completely ignored what the PILOT body requested - it is good to see the union working for the people they represent - not!)
Isnt it also great that when you join jetstar you Get into QANTAS. This means that all those guys in Jetstar who failed QF minimum entry requirements now have the backdoor into QF. [Why dont the NSW train workers also get a QF seniority number too whilst we are giving them away]
(It also means those of you who missed out on QFs minimum entry requirements now get to have a go at the ol discrimination thingo)
The head of the union was further outraged when supposidly a list of those who voted for and against was published on the QF forums - (it was immediately censored and removed)
The solution as i understand it, is to put for a Question to the committee demanding that the resolution be overturned and a resolution then be found which represents the Fee PAYING members of AIPA.
How? 25 members of AIPA must organise/demand a SGM be organised - it needs just 25 signatures.
What supposedly happened was that the AIPA comm held a meeting in the last few days and 20 vs 11 voted in favour of having a 7 in 20 positioning system to jetstar and jetstar get a QF seniority number.
(That means 11 people on the comm voted for what the 700 Pilots turned out for at the SGM - and 20 or so members completely ignored what the PILOT body requested - it is good to see the union working for the people they represent - not!)
Isnt it also great that when you join jetstar you Get into QANTAS. This means that all those guys in Jetstar who failed QF minimum entry requirements now have the backdoor into QF. [Why dont the NSW train workers also get a QF seniority number too whilst we are giving them away]
(It also means those of you who missed out on QFs minimum entry requirements now get to have a go at the ol discrimination thingo)
The head of the union was further outraged when supposidly a list of those who voted for and against was published on the QF forums - (it was immediately censored and removed)
The solution as i understand it, is to put for a Question to the committee demanding that the resolution be overturned and a resolution then be found which represents the Fee PAYING members of AIPA.
How? 25 members of AIPA must organise/demand a SGM be organised - it needs just 25 signatures.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
blueloo, you're assuming that the majority of pilots really give a f@#* if it doesn't affect them, and even for those whom it does, most are too busy being busy doing other stuff...until it finally catches up with them.
THEN they whinge and complain like hell.
"They say x x x x xs are apathetic - but who cares!"
THEN they whinge and complain like hell.
"They say x x x x xs are apathetic - but who cares!"
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Slightly off the subject.......
Well, all you train driver wannabes - I'm one step ahead of you having already booked into the RailCorp Info session and ability testing Monday week.
I've spent a considerable amount of time practising "hitting" the new vigilance button so that the system knows the driver is awake and alive (channel surfing on pay TV is good practice) and more importantly I am psyching myself "down" so that I feel I do not need to keep to a schedule (forget this ramp out within 2 minutes of schedule crap).
I can't wait - and think of all the money I'll save by not having to buy myself a jet type rating -ahhhhhhhh!
Fark!
Well, all you train driver wannabes - I'm one step ahead of you having already booked into the RailCorp Info session and ability testing Monday week.
I've spent a considerable amount of time practising "hitting" the new vigilance button so that the system knows the driver is awake and alive (channel surfing on pay TV is good practice) and more importantly I am psyching myself "down" so that I feel I do not need to keep to a schedule (forget this ramp out within 2 minutes of schedule crap).
I can't wait - and think of all the money I'll save by not having to buy myself a jet type rating -ahhhhhhhh!
Fark!
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And don't forget you have heaps of industrial muscle as a train driver. If they pack up and go home millions of people jump up and down.
And when they down tools Railcorp can't just fly in a heap of overseas trains to do the job and since it takes over two years to get a driver up to speed what with the nuances of the local system they can't even bring in strikebreakers from America, Russia, Botswana etc. Got it by the balls the train drivers.
Since a full train carries more than an A380 its a wonder train drivers dont get more than 74 skippers. Just a matter of time I guess.
Anyway, back to the topic. I think one significant outcome of all this will be that applicants will soon have to pay for their endorsement with QF mainline . .
And when they down tools Railcorp can't just fly in a heap of overseas trains to do the job and since it takes over two years to get a driver up to speed what with the nuances of the local system they can't even bring in strikebreakers from America, Russia, Botswana etc. Got it by the balls the train drivers.
Since a full train carries more than an A380 its a wonder train drivers dont get more than 74 skippers. Just a matter of time I guess.
Anyway, back to the topic. I think one significant outcome of all this will be that applicants will soon have to pay for their endorsement with QF mainline . .
Last edited by bonvol; 15th Feb 2004 at 05:22.
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Well put Col Walter. After all the sledging, snears, terminal confrontations and bagging on this and another forum, everything is alright now because it looks like these characters are going to get what they want.
I guess that instead if the agro our friendly mates will be offering to buy us a coffee. And take the time to sit down and shoot the breeze?
It is and was very unfortunate that a good bunch af people have let themselves be represented by a loud and uninformed minority.
DM
I guess that instead if the agro our friendly mates will be offering to buy us a coffee. And take the time to sit down and shoot the breeze?
It is and was very unfortunate that a good bunch af people have let themselves be represented by a loud and uninformed minority.
DM
Last edited by Douglas Mcdonnell; 15th Feb 2004 at 08:57.