Qf LAME EBA Negotiations Begin
Separately, Qantas was today slapped with New Zealand's highest price fixing fine of NZ$6.5 million ($4.8m).
Qantas in the midst of widespread turbulence | Adelaide Now
Management shoot shareholders in the foot. How does that feel as this sorry saga goes on and on? I'm waiting for Somalia to slap the company with a fine, then I will laugh!
Qantas in the midst of widespread turbulence | Adelaide Now
Management shoot shareholders in the foot. How does that feel as this sorry saga goes on and on? I'm waiting for Somalia to slap the company with a fine, then I will laugh!
ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas said the one-hour stoppage would not take place on Friday and conciliation with Qantas management would continue in Fair Work Australia on Monday.
He said recent concerns about safety, including an inflight engine fire and shutdown on a Singapore bound aircraft, a number of unscheduled engine replacements, fuel leaks from an engine in Japan and landing gear problems on a 737 aircraft have prompted engineers to cancel the stoppages.
Aircraft engineers have backed down on a planned strike, after Qantas began rerouting 2500 passengers | The Australian
He said recent concerns about safety, including an inflight engine fire and shutdown on a Singapore bound aircraft, a number of unscheduled engine replacements, fuel leaks from an engine in Japan and landing gear problems on a 737 aircraft have prompted engineers to cancel the stoppages.
Aircraft engineers have backed down on a planned strike, after Qantas began rerouting 2500 passengers | The Australian
MightyAuster:
Auster, It isn't as if VB is claiming to be 100% Australian or "The Spirit Of Australia".
What Qantas is doing is trying to claim it is an iconic Australian Airline while at the same time doing its best to replace Australian workers with cheap foreigners.
The natural response to that is to either remove QF's Australian privileged position and treat it as just another airline, or make it live up to its claim that it is unique because of its safety reocrd which is function of Australian attitudes to aviation. You don't get to have it both ways.
To put it another way, ever looked at whats written on the inside of a McDonalds hamburger container? That stuff about all Australian beef??
QF is really vulnerable to advertising if it keeps going this way. If it loses its Australian - ness, then it loses its one remaining point of difference with every other airline - and thus its product will be judged for what it is - stale and over priced.
What a load of crap Sunfish!
Playing the Devil's advocate here - QANTAS is trying to compete with the likes of V Australia, whose maintenance base is in LAX, with SIAECUSA - look them up...
In actual fact, QANTAS could potentially have their B744's and A380's main Line Maintenance base in LAX tomorrow, if they choosed to use SIAECUSA, as that company is already an FAA approved repair station for those types. Remember guys, as far as CASA is concerned, VH registered aircraft can be maintained by any approved Contracting State. Doesn't have to be in Australia.
Playing the Devil's advocate here - QANTAS is trying to compete with the likes of V Australia, whose maintenance base is in LAX, with SIAECUSA - look them up...
In actual fact, QANTAS could potentially have their B744's and A380's main Line Maintenance base in LAX tomorrow, if they choosed to use SIAECUSA, as that company is already an FAA approved repair station for those types. Remember guys, as far as CASA is concerned, VH registered aircraft can be maintained by any approved Contracting State. Doesn't have to be in Australia.
What Qantas is doing is trying to claim it is an iconic Australian Airline while at the same time doing its best to replace Australian workers with cheap foreigners.
The natural response to that is to either remove QF's Australian privileged position and treat it as just another airline, or make it live up to its claim that it is unique because of its safety reocrd which is function of Australian attitudes to aviation. You don't get to have it both ways.
To put it another way, ever looked at whats written on the inside of a McDonalds hamburger container? That stuff about all Australian beef??
QF is really vulnerable to advertising if it keeps going this way. If it loses its Australian - ness, then it loses its one remaining point of difference with every other airline - and thus its product will be judged for what it is - stale and over priced.
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It isn't as if VB is claiming to be 100% Australian or "The Spirit Of Australia".
Nicely clarified, Sunfish.
I rang Virgin yesterday re a fare across the Tasman. Talked with a quite articulate and friendly young lass....who just happened to have a foreign accent......based in the Phillipines.
The scales dropped from my eyes.....
For my destination, Virgin was the cheapest when compared with Qantas/whatsitconnect, AirNZ and Jet*- certainly as regards 6am-9pm travel times. (I'm not that keen on a 1am CHC stop-over via Jet*.)
Perhaps Virgin passes on 'savings' made by using OS-based staff/contracts, and so gets the custom. No doubt part of the reasoning behind QF's intentions re maintenance, crewing, etc. Wonder how Virgin's balance sheet look if/when the new maintenance hangar in Sydney gets up? (staffed by up to 300- Senate Committee Inquiry into Pilot Training/Airline Safety- IAQONS_ALL_250211[1]).
Damn, I almost forgot, maintenance is not a cost....
I rang Virgin yesterday re a fare across the Tasman. Talked with a quite articulate and friendly young lass....who just happened to have a foreign accent......based in the Phillipines.
The scales dropped from my eyes.....
For my destination, Virgin was the cheapest when compared with Qantas/whatsitconnect, AirNZ and Jet*- certainly as regards 6am-9pm travel times. (I'm not that keen on a 1am CHC stop-over via Jet*.)
Perhaps Virgin passes on 'savings' made by using OS-based staff/contracts, and so gets the custom. No doubt part of the reasoning behind QF's intentions re maintenance, crewing, etc. Wonder how Virgin's balance sheet look if/when the new maintenance hangar in Sydney gets up? (staffed by up to 300- Senate Committee Inquiry into Pilot Training/Airline Safety- IAQONS_ALL_250211[1]).
Damn, I almost forgot, maintenance is not a cost....
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Good Management, Bad Management?
Just like poor detective movies, QF management have adopted the good cop, bad cop routine. You have the spokesmodel and AJ in the media trashing Qantas engineers, internally GH and KC are posting emails trying to hitch their wagon to the majority of long serving engineers who care about the future of Qantas. Unfortunately, both have form, KC left the company after causing considerable damage to heavy maintenance, GH stopped all 3rd party work without notice causing considerable damage to line maintenance.
It's not good management, bad management, it's just BAD MANAGEMENT!!!
It's not good management, bad management, it's just BAD MANAGEMENT!!!
Thanks for the clarification Sunfish and unfortunately, I think you have hit the nail on the head with the QANTAS product, most certainly with the international offering, as being stale and overpriced.
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In light of the news that QF wants to start another airline in Singapore. Those dear John letters from GH, KC & CN, really do bring a tear to the eye! NOT!!!!! You f$)(&n coniving a$&@&es.
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Dear Sue,
Please be advised that ALAEA LAME members working for Qantas will not be taking Protected Industrial Action on May 16th or 17th. We understand that the airline has struggled during the last week with many unexpected aircraft unserviceabilities of which many are engine related. We are also aware of extensive corrosion currently being uncovered on an aircraft that had previously been maintained overseas that should have been prevented as its early signs would have been evident during its previous check. With lack of spares (particularly engines) leaving the Qantas network already strained, we don’t feel it in the interests of either party to compound the problems with Protected Industrial Action at this time.
For comfort sake, you should also be aware that we do not intend to take action at any time in the next 4 weeks.
During this period we expect to continue conciliation before Fair Work Australia in a meaningful fashion. We do not expect Qantas to continue to say no to each one of our job security concerns; we want to work towards a mutually beneficial outcome that would secure the ability to carry out maintenance on Qantas current and future aircraft within Australian facilities where the quality of the final product is second to none.
Should no agreement be reached it will not be through want of trying on behalf of the ALAEA. This hiatus should not be viewed by the airline as an opportunity to procrastinate, train strike-breakers or grow the amount of backpay to be used at a later time as a bargaining chip. It’s an opportunity for Qantas to get it’s maintenance back on track and its aircraft prepared for what they should be doing. An outcome reached through negotiation has always been our aim and we urge the airline to make the most of this opportunity.
Please be advised that ALAEA LAME members working for Qantas will not be taking Protected Industrial Action on May 16th or 17th. We understand that the airline has struggled during the last week with many unexpected aircraft unserviceabilities of which many are engine related. We are also aware of extensive corrosion currently being uncovered on an aircraft that had previously been maintained overseas that should have been prevented as its early signs would have been evident during its previous check. With lack of spares (particularly engines) leaving the Qantas network already strained, we don’t feel it in the interests of either party to compound the problems with Protected Industrial Action at this time.
For comfort sake, you should also be aware that we do not intend to take action at any time in the next 4 weeks.
During this period we expect to continue conciliation before Fair Work Australia in a meaningful fashion. We do not expect Qantas to continue to say no to each one of our job security concerns; we want to work towards a mutually beneficial outcome that would secure the ability to carry out maintenance on Qantas current and future aircraft within Australian facilities where the quality of the final product is second to none.
Should no agreement be reached it will not be through want of trying on behalf of the ALAEA. This hiatus should not be viewed by the airline as an opportunity to procrastinate, train strike-breakers or grow the amount of backpay to be used at a later time as a bargaining chip. It’s an opportunity for Qantas to get it’s maintenance back on track and its aircraft prepared for what they should be doing. An outcome reached through negotiation has always been our aim and we urge the airline to make the most of this opportunity.
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Excellent Steve,
there is no need to damage the brand anymore than the company management does on its own.
Hopefully the ass clowns running the place will see some sense in the next few weeks.
there is no need to damage the brand anymore than the company management does on its own.
Hopefully the ass clowns running the place will see some sense in the next few weeks.
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Trying desparately to keep the faith here Steve but, I'm not sure we shouldn't have had a three day blast of full-on PIA and then had a break. Some might say this backing off makes us look indecisive and weak.
Obviously, not being on the inside and privy to the exact status of negotiations with the company, we (the membership of the ALAEA) must continue to put our faith in you and the negotiating team. I just hope we haven't given the company more breathing space to carry out what now appears to be their final objective of transfering as much of Qantas off-shore that they possibly can.
I hope that this retreat from imminent PIA is either an indication that a satisfactory settlement is close or, that in four weeks time the pilots are in a position to help us simultaneously outflank and bring more attention to the corrupt QF management with their own PIA.
Whatever the case, you (and the negotiating team) still certainly enjoy the support of the vast majority of the membership. And although I am extremely sceptical of any hope you may have of seeing a change in attitude from the vast Qantas management bureaucracy anytime soon, nobody will be more happy than me if I am proven wrong.
Keep up the good work.
Obviously, not being on the inside and privy to the exact status of negotiations with the company, we (the membership of the ALAEA) must continue to put our faith in you and the negotiating team. I just hope we haven't given the company more breathing space to carry out what now appears to be their final objective of transfering as much of Qantas off-shore that they possibly can.
I hope that this retreat from imminent PIA is either an indication that a satisfactory settlement is close or, that in four weeks time the pilots are in a position to help us simultaneously outflank and bring more attention to the corrupt QF management with their own PIA.
Whatever the case, you (and the negotiating team) still certainly enjoy the support of the vast majority of the membership. And although I am extremely sceptical of any hope you may have of seeing a change in attitude from the vast Qantas management bureaucracy anytime soon, nobody will be more happy than me if I am proven wrong.
Keep up the good work.
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I think I said in a notice last week to expect the unexpected. I could list about a dozen good reasons for what we have done. Some will become clearer over time. Others, nobody will ever know about......... 
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Still don't think it's as persuasive as the actions taken in 2008.
And I'm pretty sure management will view us backing off as us losing our nerve and feel they can take a position of strength in any negotiations. If not then believe they can just procrastinate and stall us further until 'alternative' off-shore arrangements can gain ground.
Again, nobody happier than I if I'm proven wrong.
Certainly hope you're right Steve. Good luck Monday.
And I'm pretty sure management will view us backing off as us losing our nerve and feel they can take a position of strength in any negotiations. If not then believe they can just procrastinate and stall us further until 'alternative' off-shore arrangements can gain ground.
Again, nobody happier than I if I'm proven wrong.
Certainly hope you're right Steve. Good luck Monday.
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Back in 2008 when the place ran on overtime things were different. Now with overtime being all but non-existent putting an overtime ban on now would achieve nothing. I know there was more to it, but that alone showed up the failed management style of slashing the place of experienced staff.
I think the current leave them guessing strategy is excellent.
Plus the workload has changed, they have employed a few people, mainly AMEs who at this time have a binding EBA.
I think the current leave them guessing strategy is excellent.
Plus the workload has changed, they have employed a few people, mainly AMEs who at this time have a binding EBA.