Merged: Joe Eakins: Brave?....or....

[Mr. Hat]

Just a question. How many other current Jetstar Pilots stood up and said that he was correct and put their jobs on the line? Not one I would suspect.

I say don't sling mud on a major newspaper unless you're willing to go all the way.

The man stood up and put his name and face to the argument, which is more than most have done.

Writing mud on a newspaper, backing out of the Senate enquiry and signing a scripted apology? As I said he's got to put food on the table which is fine but don't you come telling us he's done more than rest of us. Perhaps others choose to not breach our employment contract and use the correct avenues?

Maybe the kudos goes to the Jetstar man that made the detailed submission to the Senate Enquiry. Noone mentioned him now did they?

Jetstar backed down 'cause they knew they would get spanked in FAwA

We will never know now. My opinion is that FWA would have upheld the decision.

Jetstar didn't back down. Indeed it is their management that displayed the back bone by sacking someone right in the middle of a Senate enquiry on the very topic of whistleblowers. Now I say they're either very balsy, confident or sure of the FWA outcome. After all this is Australia and we all know BIG BUSINESS WINS!!

Joe raised awareness and he has to be congratulated on that. Let their be no mistake that in a different time or in a different country fellow union members would be taking a much harder line!

I hope the rest of the $40,000 dollars goes to a children's hospital or to someone that really needs it.

[Fruet Mich]

Yep, maybe I was a little harder horserun but it's is my opinion I guess. Others will differ.

All I am saying is that here was a guy that came out with obvious safety issues and let the general public know the true. On the other side of the ledger was these fine upstanding citizens of the business world managers of jetstar claiming there was absolutely no issues with safety and they couldn't figure out why mr Joe Eakins would be stating these crazy allegations!!?? Now Joe has come out and basically said that all his concerns were fabricated and he is sorry for bringing this fine upstanding company into disrepute in questioning their safety standards.

Now who do you think the public are going to support in the senate enquiry? Greedy pilots who "make up" fairy tales because they are upset they arn't paid enough? Who perhaps the fine upstanding citizens at jetstar management who are offering them a $30 ticket to their favorite holiday destination.

Ask yourself

[mustman]

Joe stood up and no one followed him!

Everyone agreed with his case, but when he got the sack it seemed as if every Jetstar pilot flew on as normal.

No wonder he signed this statement to get his job back.

You did well Joe. You tried and alot of people respect you for that.

[ratpoison]

Just sounds as though he didn't have the support of his fellow pilots.

Exactly, but let’s break down the Jsh*t pilot group.

1. Kids out of GA on their first jet, of which they have paid out big bucks for.

2. GA pilots from Impulse driving around in modern Jets rather than a beat up King Air and roll over on their backs like dogs at the smell of trouble.

3. Ex Ansett who have gone through a dispute and an airline collapse, topping up the Super and again roll over like the Impulse boys when faced with confrontation.

4. QF on the MOU who have come over and got their commands on a wide body years before they would have with the rat.

5. Then a few dozen very experienced DEC’s from CX, EK, SQ, QA etc who treat management with the contempt they deserve and basically tell them to f**k off.

Now, reread the list and it all falls into place why there is no unity amongst this lot.

[Shed Dog Tosser]

Looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, fair chance it's a duck.

[ozbiggles]

He's not the Mesiah!
He's just a very naughty boy!!!!
Oh well, for a brief moment there was a flicker of hope and at least he had a go.......Now stone him

[Horatio Leafblower]

"Balance"?

What???? You sniveling idiot? I cannot believe it. Mr Eakins, stay at Jetstar, it is the perfect place for you.

I was so pleased when you first spoke out, I figured that finally one of you had some backbone. Now I'm proved horribly, publicly wrong.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Anybody who contributed money to this sniveller has a right to be mightily p1ssed off.

This is way out of line. As has been said above, Joe stood up, took the hit, showed guts and leadership. The rest of the pilot body did little to back him up, except throw money.

Joe Eakins - more integrity than the average bear

[fridge magnet]

Always look on the bright side of life....

All of the negative opinions are understandable given how things look.

However, my personal experience with litigation leads me to think this a fabulous outcome.

As is usual in a settlement, there must be give on both sides. It might seem to some that Joe has given too much in the way of words but consider the alternatives. Jet* has certainly given much - must have crapped themselves about something.

Pursuing a case through FWA, even if successful, will not help the cause in any way. Joe has made his point already. A FWA case would not help him prove it - it would just be a sideshow and not in his or the company's interest. Besides, the case would probably have barely touched on the aviation industry issues. It would have been won or lost on technicalities.

Joe has his job back. He lives to fight another day (probably a bit quieter). QF group is on notice now to ensure they do not act in a way that validates what Joe originally alleged. This is legal gold and achieved with minimal cost!

Well done Joe and AIPA.

[TIMA9X]

Joe has his job back. He lives to fight another day (probably a bit quieter). QF group is on notice now to ensure they do not act in a way that validates what Joe originally alleged. This is legal gold and achieved with minimal cost!

Spot on, we all know the story, most of Joe's passengers won't have a clue. I am happy that it is all over quickly & Joe is back at work, what (almost) everyone on here wanted.

No need for this to have dragged on, and no doubt the managers @ J* privately saw the writing on the wall regarding this case, to their credit they chose to resolve it which in itself is a win for Joe. The words in the press release should be regarded as "corporate window dressing" that we all have become accustomed to over the last few years, but this time favouring the pilot!

[nick0857]

The question comes though, is this even going to have any affect on J* to fix their issues regarding safety? Majority of pilots supported Eakins when he stood up, and it's like J* realized they we're going to loose any case put forward by FWA and reinstated him.

Whilst I hold high respect for Eakins for standing up and raising awareness of the issue, reading that "statement" seemed like it came from direct from J* management...

[Mr. Hat]

They weren't going to lose nick. A lot of power and money at stake. Don't think for a minute that the system works as the book says it does.

Powerful people in high places they all know each other.

[PittsS2A]

Agree with Mustman.

Joe has been failed by his peers.

The saying actions speak louder than words applies here.

Joe's collegues, whilst full of praise for his courageous stance, failed to stand up to the company along side him and thus Joe was forced to do whatever J* management wanted him to do in order for him to get his job back.

One thing is for sure, I dont believe a word of that statement and anyone who believes any part of a statement signed under such duress is a bigger fool than anyone could ever give them credit for.

LR3,

The problem is not with the union reps, but the members themselves.
As a former union delegate in a different industry I used to always be asked the question "What is the union going to do about it ?" and my answer was always "Who is the union ?" and when I finally got through to the person asking the question that the Union was all of us together inevitably the anwer to the original question was "Nothing" because as a group collectively not enough of "The Union" had the intestinal fortitude to turn words into actions.

Remember this, a union is like a chain, it is only as good as its weakest member.

[aulglarse]

gotta love endorsed spin!

[maccaj73]

Grovelling back is an understatement. The company has made him look like a complete and utter desperate fool. I cannot believe he would have actually signed that statement after being so vocal about it originally. Surely he could have negotiated a different statement which maintained him some level of credibility but i think JQ would like him to look like a idiot to deter any future people who stand up.......

A november to remember and a december to forget? ha ha ha unlikely...at the end of the day self interest rules.

[Normasars]

What an outfit!

What a hypocrite!!

What a disgrace!!!

You deserve everything you get!!!!

ONYA JETSTAR

[balance]

Hiya Horatio.

My words might have been strong, and perhaps I could have toned them down somewhat. I do however feel, that if Joe believed in the statement he signed and handed over to the media, he is a hypocrite, because he has gone completely against what he originally said. If he didnt believe those words in the statement, then he is a liar. You dont sign something you dont believe in.

That he made his original statement - well done.

Normasars and macca have it right in the last two posts.

The real questions are: WHERE WERE HIS JETSTAR COLLEAGUES? WHY WERENT THEY BY HIS SIDE? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHY WAS IT ONLY AIPA ASSISTING HIM AND NOT THE JPC? WHY IN THE HELL DID THEY SELL OUT IF THEY HAD SUCH A STRONG CASE?

They have effectively lost ground now - we are further on the downhill slide than we were previously.

Fridge Magnet said: QF group is on notice now to ensure they do not act in a way that validates what Joe originally alleged

Sorry Fridge - but the QF group is doing EXACTLY what Joe said they shouldnt do. The Singapore base IS GOING AHEAD UNABATED! They are going about their business of dismantling our profession without hesitation. This has made ZERO difference.

I said it before and I say it again - UNBELIEVABLE!

[War with Inner Peace]

Joe, I'm proud of you!!

Good decision Joe. No sense dying in a ditch over a battle that can't be won.

Don't worry about the statement. Who cares?? Only a corporate greedy could come up with that sh&t. We all know that.

Joe's Colleagues, you Guys and Girls are lost. The minute you didn't walk off the job in outrage your fate was sealed. The management grubs have your measure.

Industrial wars need warriors and lots of them!! A few to lead and many to follow. Joe gave you the lead and the rest of you floundered with apathy or cowardice.

AIPA, Hang your heads. Enterprise based unions don't work and you are living proof. Too much fear and conflict of interest.

How difficult would it have been to write a letter in support of Joe and have it signed by every member and published in the news media?

Go to your room, study the waterfront dispute and learn something about unity and heart.

Spineless whingers, go and get sacked for the cause and then come back and have a whinge.

Finally, management grubs, you know you are grubs, I know you are grubs, the public know you are grubs and karma is a b!tch. Enjoy your grubbery while it lasts because corporate greed ain't going to last forever.

Regards,

WWIP

[Clipped]

Good decision Joe. No sense dying in a ditch over a battle that can't be won.

Perhaps. But you can do more damage being on the job. Burning a little bit more of that fuel. Write up plenty of defects. You can make them pay. Be creative, do it quietly.

[Shed Dog Tosser]

but i think JQ would like him to look like a idiot to deter any future people who stand up.......

More like a injured and maimed animal, as an example to the rest.

This is more of a statement on his workmates.

I wonder how lame, injured and maimed the pilot body will look when facing the company at any future "negotiations", with this event as an indication of the intestinal fortitude available.

I still think Joe was stupid to think he could take on the company publicly, with no plan B, did he think his workmates would support him ?, must have.

As to the claim that the FWA application would have come to anything significant, well I'm pretty sure his going to the media is a breach of his employment contract, one that could easily be proven to have done damage to the organisation, simply by showing his article as cut directly out of one of our nations newspapers, game set and match really.

Glad he's back at work, his workmates let him down, but what would you expect from those within that culture.

You'd have to be pretty dense to believe a single word in that statement, public image is far more important than spending a day at the FWA and at worst case coughing up a meagre lump of cash.

[Under Dog]

If Joe thought that his fellow work mates would stick by him then he is naive,
The aviation industry is the only game I know and have worked in ( and I speak from plenty of experience)that its every man for himself . Good luck Joe but your on your own.

The Dog