Merged: Qantas Engineers Set to Strike
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Guys and gals 40 mins to go before it starrts. Good luck and thnx for support so far. I hear there was some posts earlier that were not too savory but remember that we are LAMEs and the job we do is professional and just maintain that and all will be ok. cheers Steve............
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Heard that the board had an emergency meeting today, looks like they underestimated the LAME's ability. Looking forward to seeing a lot of pathetic management heads roll. MH has had a golden run till now, looks like his high cost LAME's has cost him dearly!
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Did anyone see on the news a couple of months ago (during the air traffic controllers dispute) that 1 day all the controllers rang in sick on the same day. Wow. What ever happened with that?
Qantas' strike breakers
From The Age today:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...764953588.html
There seems to be a sort of inversion going on here that is rather strange and unsettling about the statement highlighted in bold, attributed to Mr. Dixon, from a management perspective.
The contribution of the Board and Senior Management of Qantas to the wellbeing of the company is the making of sound long term decisions, usually with a time horizon of Five to Ten years or longer when it comes, for example, to the choice of aircraft.
The contribution of Pilots, Cabin Crew and Engineers to the company is the making of sound day to day decisions as they deliver the companys' product to its customers.
Yet here we have Mr. Dixon apparently imploring the Engineers to take a long term view of the future of the industry.
I also note that the management of Qantas, including apparently Mr. Dixon, appears to be remunerated with annual bonuses.
This, to me, appears to be a simple inversion of time horizons, with management focussing on short term annual bonus driven decision making, while at the same time telling its workforce to take the long view and not worry too much about their terms and conditions today. This is just plain dumb.
Alternatively, if the Engineers did actually take "a long term view" of the industry's future, noting that their pay and conditions have been going backwards since the pay freezes of 9/11, and the continual carping from the Board about Qantas being a "legacy airline" and other doom laden pronouncements, they would have walked. if not run, away from the industry by now.
Perhaps the Qantas Board and management should focus on the big long term picture and encourage suitably remunerated employees to focus on day to day matters, rather than bleakly worrying about how their wages are being outstripped by inflation every year.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...764953588.html
Qantas' strike breakers
Ben Schneiders
May 15, 2008
QANTAS has devised a secret plan to smash the influence of a powerful airline union, with strike breakers being offered $100,000 for just six months work as aircraft engineers.
The radical plan has come to light on the eve of industrial action by engineers that threatens to bring major disruption to domestic flight schedules from tomorrow.
In a dramatic escalation of an already bitter dispute, Qantas has been quietly recruiting non-union engineers in Asia and the Pacific to act as strike breakers, The Age has learned................................
............................................................ ..................................
The contracts for six months or less offer about $2300 a week to work as aircraft engineers, plus a $40,000 "completion bonus". If paid in full, the strike breakers would receive about $100,000 for six months — double the average rate for an engineer, according to the union.
Union national secretary Steve Purvinas said he expected his members to be "locked out" as a result — as dock workers were in the waterfront dispute. He said Qantas planned to use an alternative workforce of about 100 people to replace the existing 1500 engineers.
Engineers have significant industrial power, as planes are not allowed to fly without their authorisation.
Mr Purvinas said Qantas had been offering contracts to former staff, including many based in Malaysia, since around Christmas. Some had been approached up to a dozen times, he said.
Qantas chief Geoff Dixon last night refused to confirm or deny whether the airline was training strike breakers. "They are our business, our contingencies, they're not for media or anyone else (to know)," he said.
............................................................ ....
The dispute centres on the union's demand for a 5%-a-year pay rise. Mr Dixon has said he will not budge from 3%.
Mr Purvinas said the 3% offer failed to match the rising cost of living. The airline says the union reneged on an earlier agreement for pay rises of that amount.
Mr Dixon said this week the airline would not negotiate on its wage policy, which limits pay rises to 3% a year. But Mr Purvinas said the contracts showed that Qantas wanted to break engineers' "culture of commitment to safety", a claim rejected by Mr Dixon.
Qantas has a history of tension with unions. In a recent interview with The Australian Financial Review, Mr Dixon nominated IR as a key issue in his final year running the airline. "The management of this company has contributed far more to its wellbeing and success than any bloody union has," he said.
"It is very important for unions to understand that it's more than just representing your people for a couple of per cent — it is really the long-term future of the industry."
............................................................ ...............................
With MATHEW MURPHY, ANDREW WEST, SCOTT ROCHFORT
Ben Schneiders
May 15, 2008
QANTAS has devised a secret plan to smash the influence of a powerful airline union, with strike breakers being offered $100,000 for just six months work as aircraft engineers.
The radical plan has come to light on the eve of industrial action by engineers that threatens to bring major disruption to domestic flight schedules from tomorrow.
In a dramatic escalation of an already bitter dispute, Qantas has been quietly recruiting non-union engineers in Asia and the Pacific to act as strike breakers, The Age has learned................................
............................................................ ..................................
The contracts for six months or less offer about $2300 a week to work as aircraft engineers, plus a $40,000 "completion bonus". If paid in full, the strike breakers would receive about $100,000 for six months — double the average rate for an engineer, according to the union.
Union national secretary Steve Purvinas said he expected his members to be "locked out" as a result — as dock workers were in the waterfront dispute. He said Qantas planned to use an alternative workforce of about 100 people to replace the existing 1500 engineers.
Engineers have significant industrial power, as planes are not allowed to fly without their authorisation.
Mr Purvinas said Qantas had been offering contracts to former staff, including many based in Malaysia, since around Christmas. Some had been approached up to a dozen times, he said.
Qantas chief Geoff Dixon last night refused to confirm or deny whether the airline was training strike breakers. "They are our business, our contingencies, they're not for media or anyone else (to know)," he said.
............................................................ ....
The dispute centres on the union's demand for a 5%-a-year pay rise. Mr Dixon has said he will not budge from 3%.
Mr Purvinas said the 3% offer failed to match the rising cost of living. The airline says the union reneged on an earlier agreement for pay rises of that amount.
Mr Dixon said this week the airline would not negotiate on its wage policy, which limits pay rises to 3% a year. But Mr Purvinas said the contracts showed that Qantas wanted to break engineers' "culture of commitment to safety", a claim rejected by Mr Dixon.
Qantas has a history of tension with unions. In a recent interview with The Australian Financial Review, Mr Dixon nominated IR as a key issue in his final year running the airline. "The management of this company has contributed far more to its wellbeing and success than any bloody union has," he said.
"It is very important for unions to understand that it's more than just representing your people for a couple of per cent — it is really the long-term future of the industry."
............................................................ ...............................
With MATHEW MURPHY, ANDREW WEST, SCOTT ROCHFORT
There seems to be a sort of inversion going on here that is rather strange and unsettling about the statement highlighted in bold, attributed to Mr. Dixon, from a management perspective.
The contribution of the Board and Senior Management of Qantas to the wellbeing of the company is the making of sound long term decisions, usually with a time horizon of Five to Ten years or longer when it comes, for example, to the choice of aircraft.
The contribution of Pilots, Cabin Crew and Engineers to the company is the making of sound day to day decisions as they deliver the companys' product to its customers.
Yet here we have Mr. Dixon apparently imploring the Engineers to take a long term view of the future of the industry.
I also note that the management of Qantas, including apparently Mr. Dixon, appears to be remunerated with annual bonuses.
This, to me, appears to be a simple inversion of time horizons, with management focussing on short term annual bonus driven decision making, while at the same time telling its workforce to take the long view and not worry too much about their terms and conditions today. This is just plain dumb.
Alternatively, if the Engineers did actually take "a long term view" of the industry's future, noting that their pay and conditions have been going backwards since the pay freezes of 9/11, and the continual carping from the Board about Qantas being a "legacy airline" and other doom laden pronouncements, they would have walked. if not run, away from the industry by now.
Perhaps the Qantas Board and management should focus on the big long term picture and encourage suitably remunerated employees to focus on day to day matters, rather than bleakly worrying about how their wages are being outstripped by inflation every year.
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Qantas has a history of tension with unions. In a recent interview with The Australian Financial Review, Mr Dixon nominated IR as a key issue in his final year running the airline. "The management of this company has contributed far more to its wellbeing and success than any bloody union has," he said.
"It is very important for unions to understand that it's more than just representing your people for a couple of per cent — it is really the long-term future of the industry."
----------
Except of course when it comes to Dixon's own salary which has increased by > 50%. Hypocracy at its worst.
Good for you guys. Personally I think you're worth well more than 5% (and I'm not a LAME).
"It is very important for unions to understand that it's more than just representing your people for a couple of per cent — it is really the long-term future of the industry."
----------
Except of course when it comes to Dixon's own salary which has increased by > 50%. Hypocracy at its worst.
Good for you guys. Personally I think you're worth well more than 5% (and I'm not a LAME).
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........we have a golden opertunity here with the engineers, they can with some personal cost show to the likes of GD that a Co is made up of PEOPLE, not a 'bottom line'!
Like a tumor, he can be physically removed but it's the after effects that linger on. Get well soon QF we outside of the engineering business are thinking of you guys/gals right now
Life without risk is not life at all.
CW
Like a tumor, he can be physically removed but it's the after effects that linger on. Get well soon QF we outside of the engineering business are thinking of you guys/gals right nowLife without risk is not life at all.
CW
It's About Time
Dear Engineers,
ITS ABOUT TIME YOU STOOD UP AND ASKED FOR WHAT YOU DESERVE.
YOUR WAGES HAVE BEEN ERODED BY OVER YEARS, AND NOW IT'S AN EMPLOYEES MARKET IT IS TIME TO TAKE BACK THE GROUND YOU HAVE LOST OVE SO LONG.
NO ENGINEER SHOULD BE WORKING FOR LESS THAN $170k FOR THE LEVEL OF SKILL AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU CARRY.
5% IS NOT ENOUGH - A COLLEAGUE OF MINE JUST GAVE ONE OF HIS SALES STAFF IN PERTH A $30k PAY RISE IN A SINGLE HIT JUST TO RETAIN THE GUY.
I AM FLYING TOMORROW AND IF I AM DELAYED, AS A CUSTOMER, I WILL BE LETTING QANTAS KNOW AS BEST I CAN THAT I SUPPORT YOU TOTALLY.
ITS ABOUT TIME YOU STOOD UP AND ASKED FOR WHAT YOU DESERVE.
YOUR WAGES HAVE BEEN ERODED BY OVER YEARS, AND NOW IT'S AN EMPLOYEES MARKET IT IS TIME TO TAKE BACK THE GROUND YOU HAVE LOST OVE SO LONG.
NO ENGINEER SHOULD BE WORKING FOR LESS THAN $170k FOR THE LEVEL OF SKILL AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU CARRY.
5% IS NOT ENOUGH - A COLLEAGUE OF MINE JUST GAVE ONE OF HIS SALES STAFF IN PERTH A $30k PAY RISE IN A SINGLE HIT JUST TO RETAIN THE GUY.
I AM FLYING TOMORROW AND IF I AM DELAYED, AS A CUSTOMER, I WILL BE LETTING QANTAS KNOW AS BEST I CAN THAT I SUPPORT YOU TOTALLY.
Nah! Its not the money...apparently.(?)
From today's 'West Aust' (PH), page 1 no less....
"QANTAS has secret plan for strike breakers'.
Then goes on to say Qantas has devised a plan to smash the influence of a powerful trade union with strike breakers being offerred $100,000 for just six months work as aircraft engineers.
It goes on to say that the airline has been 'quietly offering contracts to strike breakers at least since mid-January, documents reveal.'
Aircraft engineers chasing a 5%/year pay rise - '...Geoff Dixon has said he will not budge from a 3% / year offer...'
Further down.....
....'Sydney labour hire firm, Newport Aviation'.....
offers contracts for six months or less,....
'about $2300/week and dangle a $40,000 "completion bonus".
This equates to about double the average.......
What more can an 'interested' SLF say??
From today's 'West Aust' (PH), page 1 no less....
"QANTAS has secret plan for strike breakers'.
Then goes on to say Qantas has devised a plan to smash the influence of a powerful trade union with strike breakers being offerred $100,000 for just six months work as aircraft engineers.
It goes on to say that the airline has been 'quietly offering contracts to strike breakers at least since mid-January, documents reveal.'
Aircraft engineers chasing a 5%/year pay rise - '...Geoff Dixon has said he will not budge from a 3% / year offer...'
Further down.....
....'Sydney labour hire firm, Newport Aviation'.....
offers contracts for six months or less,....
'about $2300/week and dangle a $40,000 "completion bonus".
This equates to about double the average.......
What more can an 'interested' SLF say??
The dispute centres on the union's demand for a 5%-a-year pay rise. Mr Dixon has said he will not budge from 3%.
http://news.theage.com.au/business/a...0515-2ei9.html
I wonder how much his own remuneration package has moved in recent years...? Then again, if I was on his package, I could probably just get by without a few annual increases.
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Here's an idea Mr Dixon. Why not just pay the current loyal engineers what you are prepared to pay the unknown scabs? Clearly, as QF are now offering this salary, you must believe it to be the industry norm.
100k for 6m or 200k for 12m. Perhaps as a sign of goodwill, the current engineers might like to offer themselves to QF an even more attractive salary deal for the airline, say $199 /year.
Problem solved.
Bit more than a 5% rise but you guys are worth it.
100k for 6m or 200k for 12m. Perhaps as a sign of goodwill, the current engineers might like to offer themselves to QF an even more attractive salary deal for the airline, say $199 /year.
Problem solved.
Bit more than a 5% rise but you guys are worth it.
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Teal
I wonder how much his own remuneration package has moved in recent years...?
good old geoff's pay went from approx 5.2million to 6.7million last year. Now my math isnt perfect but does that not equal a 30% increase.
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From the Australian website:
QANTAS engineers have backed down from planned industrial action, indicating they will accept a smaller increase in their wage demand.
ACTU president Sharan Burrow has asked the union to call off its four-hour stop-work meeting planned for tomorrow afternoon, which would have caused Qantas to cancel a number of domestic flights.
She said the engineers would be willing to accept a rise somewhere in between the 5 per cent they demanded and the 3 per cent Qantas had continued to offer over the previous 18 months of failed wage negotiations.
Fed Sec. SP. Remember we want 5% in our pockets before we call it off!
QANTAS engineers have backed down from planned industrial action, indicating they will accept a smaller increase in their wage demand.
ACTU president Sharan Burrow has asked the union to call off its four-hour stop-work meeting planned for tomorrow afternoon, which would have caused Qantas to cancel a number of domestic flights.
She said the engineers would be willing to accept a rise somewhere in between the 5 per cent they demanded and the 3 per cent Qantas had continued to offer over the previous 18 months of failed wage negotiations.
Fed Sec. SP. Remember we want 5% in our pockets before we call it off!
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Don't worry about what Sharan Burrow's got to say. She doesn't have a vote in the EBA.....This is most likely pressure from the Rudd government.
Fed Sec, keep up the good work. Don't let the team down.
Fed Sec, keep up the good work. Don't let the team down.
The latest ABS figures (out today) show that Australian wages have increased by 4.8% for the year ended March 2008.
http://news.theage.com.au/business/a...0515-2ei9.html
A 5% claim by QF engineers would seem very reasonable and fair.
http://news.theage.com.au/business/a...0515-2ei9.html
A 5% claim by QF engineers would seem very reasonable and fair.
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"The management of this company has contributed far more to its wellbeing and success than any bloody union has," he said.
Maybe I'm quoting out of context or maybe he's just in another orbital, but if that's the case maybe all of QF's employee's can stop work and Dicko and Co can clean the planes, turn them around, fix them, fuel them, cater them, feed the pax and fly them etc!
If they can do all that then they certainly do deserve all the bonus's they receive which is sure as sh!t more than 3%
Maybe I'm quoting out of context or maybe he's just in another orbital, but if that's the case maybe all of QF's employee's can stop work and Dicko and Co can clean the planes, turn them around, fix them, fuel them, cater them, feed the pax and fly them etc!
If they can do all that then they certainly do deserve all the bonus's they receive which is sure as sh!t more than 3%
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"She doesn't have a vote in the EBA"
This is not an EBA
An EBA involves negotiation on both sides.
Follow PPM and AMM 110%
This alone will win us our 5%
Aircraft on the ground don't earn money.
This is not an EBA
An EBA involves negotiation on both sides.
Follow PPM and AMM 110%
This alone will win us our 5%
Aircraft on the ground don't earn money.