Merged: Joe Eakins: Brave?....or....
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AIPA and its QF pilots have as much vested interest in this as everyone else
I just feel that the best interests of the other rapidly expanding pilot group would be better served by an organisation that does not have such "vested interests".
(And I am not having a go at QF pilots here - they have every right to do as they choose.)
I think I hold the view of most QF pilots when I say that we all want there to be one united pilot's union. Whether or not that is AIPA, I, and i'm sure many others, don't really care either way. BUT at this point in time, AIPA are the only union investing time and resources in making it happen...
What would it take to vote as members to merge the AFAP, AIPA, VIPA into one union? We could then have the current AFAP side dealing with the GA side of the membership and proper representation from the ground up, the AIPA/VIPA side dealing with the airline side of the membership no matter what is painted on your tail.
We could have the usual union representative for each Pilot group, however they would operate under the direction of the main body. This would limit the current union agendas, save us as members a bucket load of cash paying the current incumbents (particularly in the AFAP) who are not really doing a hell of a lot to improve our lot. We would then have a more unified agreement across the airline groups for Pilots rather than the current disparities between workplaces.
Wishful thinking or achievable? I'm sure WE as members could make it happen if we put forward a motion and voted on it. Getting the union reps into the same room would be like trying to lasso a racehorse Goanna however!
We could have the usual union representative for each Pilot group, however they would operate under the direction of the main body. This would limit the current union agendas, save us as members a bucket load of cash paying the current incumbents (particularly in the AFAP) who are not really doing a hell of a lot to improve our lot. We would then have a more unified agreement across the airline groups for Pilots rather than the current disparities between workplaces.
Wishful thinking or achievable? I'm sure WE as members could make it happen if we put forward a motion and voted on it. Getting the union reps into the same room would be like trying to lasso a racehorse Goanna however!
Wishful thinking or achievable?
What you will find would possibly happen is that many people with either expired membership or those who have never even joined in the first place for whatever reason (to be honest most have seemed to put it off due to what looks from the outside to be a fractured organisation at a grass roots level) would suddenly become more interested.
The outward concept of a union doing the most for those who pay the most needs to be addressed. Having been a union member in a strong union outside the aviation circle many years ago the message to all was always all for one, one for all..... Effectively putting the message to all that to get to the top you need to build (and help maintain) strength at the bottom. Quite different to the line that appears to be espoused in this industry at this time.
Regards,
OpsN.
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I was under the impression that AIPA had already done a lot of work towards a unified all encompassing pilots union using AusALPA as the genesis.
Pilot Councils responsible for their own betterment under an overarching governing executive.
What's happened?
Wouldn't now be the best time to enact such an organisation?
Only this time structured so no pilot group can ride shotgun over everyone else.
That way you will not end up with what caused the AIPA /AFAP split up, all over again!
Pilot Councils responsible for their own betterment under an overarching governing executive.
What's happened?
Wouldn't now be the best time to enact such an organisation?
Only this time structured so no pilot group can ride shotgun over everyone else.
That way you will not end up with what caused the AIPA /AFAP split up, all over again!
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Unless it is something no one is talking about, no one I know is saying:
Is work in progress.
The silence is deafing.
'that a lot of work towards a unified all encompassing pilots union using AusALPA as the genesis.
The silence is deafing.
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Including the kiwi pilots would be a good idea. With the push for consistancy in trans-tasman T&C's & the concerns with off-shoring of Australian jobs, having a single trans-tasman pilot union would certainly help the cause.
What about including all the Asian pilots as well, Oakape? A consistant trans-Pacific package would be great. Oh, that's what the airline is trying to do, I guess. Bugger the Kiwis, people with funny accents have been taking up Australian GA and airline jobs for years, eh bro.
exmexican,
You need to look at the history of NZ and Australia. NZ was in fact governed by NSW until the states of Australia (the mainland) became a federation. NZ was invited to join and become a state of Australia (but for reasons of stupidity and financial detriment declined). The invitation is still open ended in the Australian constitution however. So NZ being part of Australian union movements does make sense, as the countries are very economically and politically related. Citizens are also free to move from country to country without residency issues.
Asia was never part of Australia and it's colonies and as such would not qualify.
You need to look at the history of NZ and Australia. NZ was in fact governed by NSW until the states of Australia (the mainland) became a federation. NZ was invited to join and become a state of Australia (but for reasons of stupidity and financial detriment declined). The invitation is still open ended in the Australian constitution however. So NZ being part of Australian union movements does make sense, as the countries are very economically and politically related. Citizens are also free to move from country to country without residency issues.
Asia was never part of Australia and it's colonies and as such would not qualify.
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Actually the AIPA was "born" of the AFAP. Cannot remember the actual dates, but the QF blokes got the sh*ts with the AFAP over a number of issues that they decided were irrelevent to them, and they broke away with their own group, but never quite forgave the AFAP for a building that was purchased in Melbourne, and they never saw a cent from its sale. Wooden eye might remember this. Anyway might come the full circle after all, hope so.
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If one were disposed to consult Adam Smith or any other Free Market advocate they would be confronted by the market inefficiencies that Monopolies, Virtual Monopolies or Oligopolies impose on the free market (as is the case in Australian Airline employers). In terms of the balance of monetary reward versus actual contribution to economic activity the "invisible hand" is not just "invisible" but nonexistent in this regard.
Thus theoretically and economically in a relatively free-market economy the only way to counter the power of corporate hegemony is through collective labour. Northern Europeans have known this for at least 100 years and our history shows that we have indeed understood this, and subsequently largely forgotten it.
I am ashamed to an extent to be born just prior to the "Y" generation, known by others as the "me" generation. Ashamed to a minor extent but more honoured to have the opportunity to explain to my friends and colleagues the historic significance of the struggle we now face and the fact that our parent's generation only enjoyed the workplace rights and conditions they did as a result of generations of struggle against economic repression combined with the threat of an ideologically incompatible philosophy (i.e. communism- dialectic materialism) that to an extent "kept the bastards honest".
Now that no such threat exists there is no imperative for our "dear leaders" to offer us any kind of "new deal". Thus we will be raped and pillaged and screwed until our oppressors finally confront a brick wall. That brick wall is us and can only be constructed on the basis of relative unity.
Unity is the answer
To the problem.
100% is not required.
But you are required.
If myopia or denial is your solution to avoiding conflict, then I wish the best of luck to you. Hopefully you will see the light and join us one day.
As for the rest who need little or no convincing, the answer is as obvious as it is self-apparent.
Thus theoretically and economically in a relatively free-market economy the only way to counter the power of corporate hegemony is through collective labour. Northern Europeans have known this for at least 100 years and our history shows that we have indeed understood this, and subsequently largely forgotten it.
I am ashamed to an extent to be born just prior to the "Y" generation, known by others as the "me" generation. Ashamed to a minor extent but more honoured to have the opportunity to explain to my friends and colleagues the historic significance of the struggle we now face and the fact that our parent's generation only enjoyed the workplace rights and conditions they did as a result of generations of struggle against economic repression combined with the threat of an ideologically incompatible philosophy (i.e. communism- dialectic materialism) that to an extent "kept the bastards honest".
Now that no such threat exists there is no imperative for our "dear leaders" to offer us any kind of "new deal". Thus we will be raped and pillaged and screwed until our oppressors finally confront a brick wall. That brick wall is us and can only be constructed on the basis of relative unity.
Unity is the answer
To the problem.
100% is not required.
But you are required.
If myopia or denial is your solution to avoiding conflict, then I wish the best of luck to you. Hopefully you will see the light and join us one day.
As for the rest who need little or no convincing, the answer is as obvious as it is self-apparent.
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I heard a rumour that the author of the article is no longer working at Jetstar as he was sacked. I'd like to think that this isn't true, but knowing how vindictive management types are these days, he may have breached some little known clause in his contract.
Once again I hope this isn't true, but if it is I hope his union (whichever one his in) backs him up and helps fight it.
Once again I hope this isn't true, but if it is I hope his union (whichever one his in) backs him up and helps fight it.
Thread Starter
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He was just elected on to the AIPA COM. So I guess he would have some sort of back-up. I haven't heard if he was sacked, but there are clauses in the QF FAM that prohibit public comment; I am sure the Jetstar contract would be even more specific- hence the name of this thread.
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I don't think it would apply in this case
Captain Kremin,
I think the restrictions or clauses only apply in the case of an incident or some sort of operational event where you are representing Qantas. I wouldn't have thought that non-operational statements, of an industrial nature, made as an individual could be restricted.
I haven't heard if he was sacked, but there are clauses in the QF FAM that prohibit public comment; I am sure the Jetstar contract would be even more specific- hence the name of this thread.