QF L/H accomodation possible changes
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Quote "Your competition already does the same and for QF to survive they have to be able to compete. The alternative is to be subsidized or go out of business"
I always like hearing stories from people who push this line because it is mostly from people who are in the office where they are trying desperately to not only justify their jobs but to maintain them.They are so busy stabbing each other in the back to try and stay ahead that they contradict themselves almost constantly.
There is a major flaw in their argument and that is that QF is making record profits and not only that but it is admitted that it is likely to double over the next few years.So the pay and conditions are not that bad so as to prevent a healthy account balance.
Not only that but the press and the company fail to mention that Darth and other senior management are paid more than their counterparts in other airlines with larger fleets.
If QF paid as much attention to improving the product as they do to attacking their employees they would not have much to worry about in terms of competition.They should be trying to improve their Inflight product such as IFE and adding other routes to increase market share.Emirates fly to Australia and has Darth ever suggested flying to Europe via Dubai to counter this competition....NO..
This constant attack on his employees by Darth shows just how little real talent he has.He can only slash and burn and has no ability to stimulate new markets,improve products and motivate his staff.
I always like hearing stories from people who push this line because it is mostly from people who are in the office where they are trying desperately to not only justify their jobs but to maintain them.They are so busy stabbing each other in the back to try and stay ahead that they contradict themselves almost constantly.
There is a major flaw in their argument and that is that QF is making record profits and not only that but it is admitted that it is likely to double over the next few years.So the pay and conditions are not that bad so as to prevent a healthy account balance.
Not only that but the press and the company fail to mention that Darth and other senior management are paid more than their counterparts in other airlines with larger fleets.
If QF paid as much attention to improving the product as they do to attacking their employees they would not have much to worry about in terms of competition.They should be trying to improve their Inflight product such as IFE and adding other routes to increase market share.Emirates fly to Australia and has Darth ever suggested flying to Europe via Dubai to counter this competition....NO..
This constant attack on his employees by Darth shows just how little real talent he has.He can only slash and burn and has no ability to stimulate new markets,improve products and motivate his staff.
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From todays Smage.
Ex-union boss hires for Qantas, cabin crew disarmed
Scott Rochfort, Sydney
April 16, 2007
Qantas to axe 150 flight attendants
MPs angry over APA debt plan for Qantas
HAVING spent years fighting for the rights of Qantas employees, a former union boss is now making millions hiring out lower-paid flight attendants to the national carrier through his labour hire company.
Maurice Alexander's company continued to advertise for casual staff last week, as Qantas offered a further 150 voluntary redundancies to "surplus" full-time cabin crew.
For the chance to work as a casual flight attendant, earning about half the pay of an experienced Qantas long-haul crew member, all Maurice Alexander Management asks is for applicants to bring a $49 money order made out to Qantas to cover the cost of the job interview.
They also might need a spare $700 to cover the cost of their medical examination, security check, first aid certificate, responsible service of alcohol certificate and language test.
Mr Alexander, 55, started his outfit 10 years ago after quitting as a senior industrial officer for the domestic arm of Flight Attendants Association of Australia.
From his humble office in the Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds, Mr Alexander has done well for himself.
According to records obtained by The Age, Mr Alexander's company made a pre-tax profit of $1.57 million last financial year.
Maurice Alexander Management cites its principal activity as "the supply of flight attendant staff to Qantas".
There appears to be no shortage of budding Qantas cabin crew. The airline revealed last year it had 30,000 more applications than vacancies in its system.
Mr Alexander declined to speak to The Age.
Mr Alexander maintains close ties with his former union, which some accuse of also having a cosy relationship with Qantas. The union shares office space with Mr Alexander's labour hire company. The union's domestic secretary, Jo-Ann Davidson, declined to comment.
There are suspicions Qantas is now pitting the union's domestic arm with the more combative international arm.
The divisions consider themselves separate associations.
In recent months, Qantas has exploited an agreement that allows it to use lower-paid casual and full-time domestic crews on up to 70 per cent of its international routes serviced by Boeing 767s and Airbus A330s.
This includes flights into Tokyo, Hong Kong and Mumbai. Casual crews receive less allowances, no sick leave, no holiday leave and no travel benefits.
"What this is about is destroying full-time positions in short-haul and long-haul and replacing them with overseas-based crews, casualised crews and crews on AWAs (Australian Workplace Agreements) from Jetstar," said the head of the union's international arm, Michael Mijatov.
Mr Mijatov said the $11.1 billion private equity buy-out of Qantas only fuelled his concerns.
Qantas' general executive manager, John Borghetti, has declined to say whether the airline would attempt in future to cut its links to the FAAA's international arm.
"Realistically I think our cabin crew deserve better than this," he said, in response to the international FAAA's criticisms.
Mr Borghetti declined to rule out Qantas using cheaper casual or short-haul cabin crew on its new fleet of Airbus A380 superjumbos and Boeing 787s, which are due to be delivered from next year.
With Qantas' latest redundancies coming just five months after 400 long-haul positions were axed, the airline has cut 1200 higher-paid international crew since 2000.
The cuts come as Qantas looks to increase its Auckland-based long-haul crew.
New Zealand crew get half the pay and 30 per cent more hours than their Australian counterparts.
Scott Rochfort, Sydney
April 16, 2007
Qantas to axe 150 flight attendants
MPs angry over APA debt plan for Qantas
HAVING spent years fighting for the rights of Qantas employees, a former union boss is now making millions hiring out lower-paid flight attendants to the national carrier through his labour hire company.
Maurice Alexander's company continued to advertise for casual staff last week, as Qantas offered a further 150 voluntary redundancies to "surplus" full-time cabin crew.
For the chance to work as a casual flight attendant, earning about half the pay of an experienced Qantas long-haul crew member, all Maurice Alexander Management asks is for applicants to bring a $49 money order made out to Qantas to cover the cost of the job interview.
They also might need a spare $700 to cover the cost of their medical examination, security check, first aid certificate, responsible service of alcohol certificate and language test.
Mr Alexander, 55, started his outfit 10 years ago after quitting as a senior industrial officer for the domestic arm of Flight Attendants Association of Australia.
From his humble office in the Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds, Mr Alexander has done well for himself.
According to records obtained by The Age, Mr Alexander's company made a pre-tax profit of $1.57 million last financial year.
Maurice Alexander Management cites its principal activity as "the supply of flight attendant staff to Qantas".
There appears to be no shortage of budding Qantas cabin crew. The airline revealed last year it had 30,000 more applications than vacancies in its system.
Mr Alexander declined to speak to The Age.
Mr Alexander maintains close ties with his former union, which some accuse of also having a cosy relationship with Qantas. The union shares office space with Mr Alexander's labour hire company. The union's domestic secretary, Jo-Ann Davidson, declined to comment.
There are suspicions Qantas is now pitting the union's domestic arm with the more combative international arm.
The divisions consider themselves separate associations.
In recent months, Qantas has exploited an agreement that allows it to use lower-paid casual and full-time domestic crews on up to 70 per cent of its international routes serviced by Boeing 767s and Airbus A330s.
This includes flights into Tokyo, Hong Kong and Mumbai. Casual crews receive less allowances, no sick leave, no holiday leave and no travel benefits.
"What this is about is destroying full-time positions in short-haul and long-haul and replacing them with overseas-based crews, casualised crews and crews on AWAs (Australian Workplace Agreements) from Jetstar," said the head of the union's international arm, Michael Mijatov.
Mr Mijatov said the $11.1 billion private equity buy-out of Qantas only fuelled his concerns.
Qantas' general executive manager, John Borghetti, has declined to say whether the airline would attempt in future to cut its links to the FAAA's international arm.
"Realistically I think our cabin crew deserve better than this," he said, in response to the international FAAA's criticisms.
Mr Borghetti declined to rule out Qantas using cheaper casual or short-haul cabin crew on its new fleet of Airbus A380 superjumbos and Boeing 787s, which are due to be delivered from next year.
With Qantas' latest redundancies coming just five months after 400 long-haul positions were axed, the airline has cut 1200 higher-paid international crew since 2000.
The cuts come as Qantas looks to increase its Auckland-based long-haul crew.
New Zealand crew get half the pay and 30 per cent more hours than their Australian counterparts.
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We have known for some time that there is no such word as loyalty in the company's vocabulary.Now we find that others follow the course of the almighty dollar as a guide to living as well.
Most of us thought Sheer Nylon was one of a kind but alas no...
This is one reason why I have always thought that you have to negotiate from a position of strength.The company will only negotiate with someone IF they have to and they feel they have something to lose.
Acting in a reasonable fashion only encourages the company to want more...
I think we can see the storm clouds forming on the horizon.
Most of us thought Sheer Nylon was one of a kind but alas no...
This is one reason why I have always thought that you have to negotiate from a position of strength.The company will only negotiate with someone IF they have to and they feel they have something to lose.
Acting in a reasonable fashion only encourages the company to want more...
I think we can see the storm clouds forming on the horizon.
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Trashy Aritcle
Does anyone really care that an ex union employee has started a casual f/a company and is the provider for Qantas ? I mean enough of the general public (or us for that matter) for the Herald to write this story ? I would have thought a "story" like this would be more appropriate in the Tele or the No Idea.
While the idea in itself may be disturbing to some, the fact is that if it wasn't him it would be someone else and at least they're not on AWA's (yet). Write more articles about the bloody labor laws Scott or move onto Today Tonight where stories like this are in the appropriate company of Mercedes Corby and only 700 grams in your 750 gram packet of chips.
Trashy useless journalism while QF gets on with rip rorting the rest of us..... why....... because they can.
While the idea in itself may be disturbing to some, the fact is that if it wasn't him it would be someone else and at least they're not on AWA's (yet). Write more articles about the bloody labor laws Scott or move onto Today Tonight where stories like this are in the appropriate company of Mercedes Corby and only 700 grams in your 750 gram packet of chips.
Trashy useless journalism while QF gets on with rip rorting the rest of us..... why....... because they can.
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Regionalguy..
You bet we do care....
The problem is not only the Libs and the IR laws that are at fault.It is people within our own ranks that do it that we need to know about.The divisional flying agreement has everything to do with it as well and if the SMH finds it interesting that the S/H FAAA and a guy who makes $1.57 million from cheap labour share the same office it should give you an idea as well.
You bet we do care....
The problem is not only the Libs and the IR laws that are at fault.It is people within our own ranks that do it that we need to know about.The divisional flying agreement has everything to do with it as well and if the SMH finds it interesting that the S/H FAAA and a guy who makes $1.57 million from cheap labour share the same office it should give you an idea as well.
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Within our own ranks........ who is within our own ranks ? He used to work for the union and now runs his own business, hardly judas himself.
Like I said before, if it wasn't him, it would be someone else and lets face it he didn't INVENT the casual workforce, he just provides one to an industry he obviously knows a lot about.
I agree $1.57mil should be enough to get your own office space, but what is the conspiracy theory....... and what is the divisional flying agreement and what does it have to do with the casuals etc ?
Like I said before, if it wasn't him, it would be someone else and lets face it he didn't INVENT the casual workforce, he just provides one to an industry he obviously knows a lot about.
I agree $1.57mil should be enough to get your own office space, but what is the conspiracy theory....... and what is the divisional flying agreement and what does it have to do with the casuals etc ?
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regionalguy..If you don't know what was the divisional flying agreement and how casuals have and still are reducing flying for L/H and still don't grasp the significance of a union and a group dedicated to reducing T & C's of cabin crew sharing the same office are then there is no point in trying...
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lowerlobe...... i'm not deliberately trying to upset you but clearly that has been the affect of my opinion. I'm not saying we need to be happy about the casualisation of any workforce, far from it, but it is reality and it is here to stay...... lets pick our battles i say and fight the real fight at the poll booths.
"What was the divisional flying agreement" ..... what was it ? what is it ? i really don't understand and apparently its important, if you can explain i'd really appreciate it.
Cheers
"What was the divisional flying agreement" ..... what was it ? what is it ? i really don't understand and apparently its important, if you can explain i'd really appreciate it.
Cheers
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regionalguy,
if you cant see that the political issues re "casualisation" ought to be of interest to just about every wage earner in Australia then I can't help you.
It seems your overiding concern is that a spotlight that has been focused on the shorthaul FAAA.
I'm sure that there are many who share my view that an ex union official profiting handsomely from the undermining of Australian full time jobs is more than a little news worthy. The fact that his business shares the same address as the union makes it even more so..........
The divisional flying agreement sets the ratio of shared flying between shorthaul and longhaul on both the 767 and A330 aircraft types.
The "flexing" between the two affording QF the ability to manage peaks and troughs in the business cycle.
It was also "supposed
" to be designed to prevent the need to make crew redundant in lean times.
What stinks of course is that QF are artificially creating surpluses in their cabin crew numbers by training both New Zealand based crew and casuals in Australia hand over fist at the same time as they are making redundant full time crew.
"McJob" anyone..........?
if you cant see that the political issues re "casualisation" ought to be of interest to just about every wage earner in Australia then I can't help you.
It seems your overiding concern is that a spotlight that has been focused on the shorthaul FAAA.
I'm sure that there are many who share my view that an ex union official profiting handsomely from the undermining of Australian full time jobs is more than a little news worthy. The fact that his business shares the same address as the union makes it even more so..........
The divisional flying agreement sets the ratio of shared flying between shorthaul and longhaul on both the 767 and A330 aircraft types.
The "flexing" between the two affording QF the ability to manage peaks and troughs in the business cycle.
It was also "supposed
" to be designed to prevent the need to make crew redundant in lean times.What stinks of course is that QF are artificially creating surpluses in their cabin crew numbers by training both New Zealand based crew and casuals in Australia hand over fist at the same time as they are making redundant full time crew.
"McJob" anyone..........?
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speedie
i'm not al all concerned with the spotlight on the sh faaa and i'll word my posts more carefully if thats the impression i'm making. i really didn't understand the divisional flying agreement but you've explained that so thank you. my point was only about the whoo ha over the MAM boss being an ex union offical and that fact that it made front page of the papers. i get that him making megga bucks with his business leaves a bad taste but reality is that casuals are (and have been for quite some time) a fact of life in every industry. i guess i was just surprised at the level of interest for an issue that's been around for ages.
your right what qf are doing does stink, but the rot has been around a while, add jqd and jqi with mam = we're screwed !
i'm not al all concerned with the spotlight on the sh faaa and i'll word my posts more carefully if thats the impression i'm making. i really didn't understand the divisional flying agreement but you've explained that so thank you. my point was only about the whoo ha over the MAM boss being an ex union offical and that fact that it made front page of the papers. i get that him making megga bucks with his business leaves a bad taste but reality is that casuals are (and have been for quite some time) a fact of life in every industry. i guess i was just surprised at the level of interest for an issue that's been around for ages.
your right what qf are doing does stink, but the rot has been around a while, add jqd and jqi with mam = we're screwed !
Lobe and others
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capt.cynical...I have heard that she is actually a consultant for the company,not on a permanent basis but she has been seen in the car park a few times.You could only guess in what areas she would conslut ..sorry consult in.
Then again she is the type of person to do something like that just to wind up crew.
Maybe she was going to staff travel?
Then again she is the type of person to do something like that just to wind up crew.
Maybe she was going to staff travel?
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regionalguy,
the concept of casual workers isn't necessarily a problem providing there is enforceable legislation in place to prevent abuse of a system that was originally sold, [as a concept by the business community] as a way for them to manage peaks and troughs in the business cycle.
Prior to howard changing the rules casuals had to be offered full time positions if there casual employment extended beyond 12 months.
What we are seeing know is business moving vast swathes of their workforce to these cheaper arrangements. Arrangements that don't offer security of income, sick pay, holidays, etc, etc.
The net effect of this will be to create an underclass of working poor who will NEVER be able to effectively participate in our society such as we see in the United States.
I often catch the local buses in LA to get around. There are people living in sheet plastic shanty towns under almost EVERY freeway underpass. This is the wealthiest country in the world, not downtown Mumbai or Calcutta.
Despite what you claim the march to casualisation IS NOT inevitable.
THE FIX IS TO ELECT A GOVERNMENT WITH SOME SOCIAL CONSCIENCE.
the concept of casual workers isn't necessarily a problem providing there is enforceable legislation in place to prevent abuse of a system that was originally sold, [as a concept by the business community] as a way for them to manage peaks and troughs in the business cycle.
Prior to howard changing the rules casuals had to be offered full time positions if there casual employment extended beyond 12 months.
What we are seeing know is business moving vast swathes of their workforce to these cheaper arrangements. Arrangements that don't offer security of income, sick pay, holidays, etc, etc.
The net effect of this will be to create an underclass of working poor who will NEVER be able to effectively participate in our society such as we see in the United States.
I often catch the local buses in LA to get around. There are people living in sheet plastic shanty towns under almost EVERY freeway underpass. This is the wealthiest country in the world, not downtown Mumbai or Calcutta.
Despite what you claim the march to casualisation IS NOT inevitable.
THE FIX IS TO ELECT A GOVERNMENT WITH SOME SOCIAL CONSCIENCE.
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speedie
sadly your last post painted a disturbing mental picture.on the effects of a casualised workforce.
today's smh article on AWA's is another interesting but nonetheless depressing read, looks like the casualisation is not only one road to creating an underclass.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...696757585.html
Bring on that election
sadly your last post painted a disturbing mental picture.on the effects of a casualised workforce.
today's smh article on AWA's is another interesting but nonetheless depressing read, looks like the casualisation is not only one road to creating an underclass.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...696757585.html
Bring on that election
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Hi All,
I am a casual crew member that is suffering financially from Maurices (MAM) greed to over-employ casual crew.I have been flying for several years and we can only watch in horror to see how they are flooding the full-time positions with casuals.
Many casual crew on contracts A & B are now being made NOT REQUIRED for multiple days each week and are only given MEL or CBR rtns when we are working.Where I was once earning a decent payslip,I am now bringing home around $900 per fortnight.
Our concerns have been raised with the FAAA,MAM's & Qantas regarding the constant drive to employ casuals when many of us are not getting work,yet they cannot give us any explanation.When we speak to Maurice over the phone,he just responds with "Those of you on contracts A & B will be begging me for work!"
It's time to consider a CHANGE OF UNION.Perhaps the TWU or ACTU who will fight for the workers rights.As for the FAAA,they have been selling us out for a long time like they did to the crew at ANSETT.
Don't pay them for the job they have clearly not been doing for years...
RAY HADLEY on 2GB radio received an email which he read on air this morning (Tuesday 17th April,2007).It was regarding them story in Monday 16th April article in the SMH.It was interesting to read this front page article and it seems that all 3 parties are now in damage control.
I'm sure RAY HADLEY will be happy to receive more emails or phone-calls from other crew....So open those floodgates before the dam bursts!
www.2gb.com.au
Ray Hadley - ph: 131873
I am a casual crew member that is suffering financially from Maurices (MAM) greed to over-employ casual crew.I have been flying for several years and we can only watch in horror to see how they are flooding the full-time positions with casuals.
Many casual crew on contracts A & B are now being made NOT REQUIRED for multiple days each week and are only given MEL or CBR rtns when we are working.Where I was once earning a decent payslip,I am now bringing home around $900 per fortnight.
Our concerns have been raised with the FAAA,MAM's & Qantas regarding the constant drive to employ casuals when many of us are not getting work,yet they cannot give us any explanation.When we speak to Maurice over the phone,he just responds with "Those of you on contracts A & B will be begging me for work!"
It's time to consider a CHANGE OF UNION.Perhaps the TWU or ACTU who will fight for the workers rights.As for the FAAA,they have been selling us out for a long time like they did to the crew at ANSETT.
Don't pay them for the job they have clearly not been doing for years...
RAY HADLEY on 2GB radio received an email which he read on air this morning (Tuesday 17th April,2007).It was regarding them story in Monday 16th April article in the SMH.It was interesting to read this front page article and it seems that all 3 parties are now in damage control.
I'm sure RAY HADLEY will be happy to receive more emails or phone-calls from other crew....So open those floodgates before the dam bursts!
www.2gb.com.au
Ray Hadley - ph: 131873
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Doofus
See MAM & FAAA dom/reg thread.
Also there is a private MAM forum, apparently you just ask a casual at work and they'll give details. I read it on CC forum in a MAM thread.
Also there is a private MAM forum, apparently you just ask a casual at work and they'll give details. I read it on CC forum in a MAM thread.
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Quote - "It's time to consider a CHANGE OF UNION.Perhaps the TWU or ACTU who will fight for the workers rights.As for the FAAA,they have been selling us out for a long time like they did to the crew at ANSETT."
----------------
There are two divisions of the FAAA.
Only one has a history of selling out the long term interests of flight attendants..........
----------------
There are two divisions of the FAAA.
Only one has a history of selling out the long term interests of flight attendants..........