Qantas Avalon reconfigs
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Earth
Posts: 804
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Qantas Avalon reconfigs
This has been widely quoted as creating 400 new jobs in the media today which is Absolute crap Avalon has lost work there are NO new jobs in this announcement.
ALAEA and the Forstaff workforce got stitched up in a quick deal that should have been looked at a lot harder.
All Forstaff and Qantas Members -Notice 15/2011 - 747 D-Checks to be outsourced
As Federal Secretary of the ALAEA it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the day to day ins and outs of every discussion that takes place. I was informed today that ALAEA Officials attended a Heavy Maintenance outsourcing meeting earlier in the week and were informed that a number of Qantas aircraft could no longer fit into the onshore maintenance program. Of particular note was the intended offshoring of three 747-400 D checks. After a few seconds of contemplation I was suddenly hit with the realisation that Qantas managers had completely dishonoured an Agreement recently made with Forstaff Avalon employees about the future workload in their facility.
In December 2010, Forstaff and Qantas management approached the ALAEA, AMWU and AWU seeking urgent discussions on a new wage Agreement for Forstaff employees. The discussions were to be held six months prior to the Agreement expiry on the basis that a positive vote from the workforce would see a major 747-400 reconfiguration program awarded to the facility. We reluctantly took part in the discussions that ultimately led to a very average Agreement being placed before the workforce. The Agreement was accepted by the majority six weeks after negotiations began along with the commitment for the reconfig work.
The ALAEA were conscious all along that Qantas did not want this work carried out in Australia. We suspect there was an expectation that the ALAEA would oppose the offer, the vote would go down and our Association would be blamed for taking an unreasonable position that led to the loss of Australian jobs. We took a neutral stance during the vote for this reason and the approved Agreement meant that Qantas had locked themselves into a commitment they never intended to keep.
As the reconfigs were locked in by the new Agreement, Qantas have now announced that they will ditch the other work carried out by Avalon Qantas and Forstaff employees. 747 D checks. To say our trust in Qantas management is somewhat diminished would be an understatement. This underhanded move serves as a reminder that the Qantas wage negotiations currently underway are critical for the future of all members working for the airline. Locking in binding job security clauses that are enforceable in courtrooms is our number one priority and a must when we consider final settlement of any offer.
STEVE PURVINAS
Federal Secretary
ALAEA and the Forstaff workforce got stitched up in a quick deal that should have been looked at a lot harder.
All Forstaff and Qantas Members -Notice 15/2011 - 747 D-Checks to be outsourced
As Federal Secretary of the ALAEA it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the day to day ins and outs of every discussion that takes place. I was informed today that ALAEA Officials attended a Heavy Maintenance outsourcing meeting earlier in the week and were informed that a number of Qantas aircraft could no longer fit into the onshore maintenance program. Of particular note was the intended offshoring of three 747-400 D checks. After a few seconds of contemplation I was suddenly hit with the realisation that Qantas managers had completely dishonoured an Agreement recently made with Forstaff Avalon employees about the future workload in their facility.
In December 2010, Forstaff and Qantas management approached the ALAEA, AMWU and AWU seeking urgent discussions on a new wage Agreement for Forstaff employees. The discussions were to be held six months prior to the Agreement expiry on the basis that a positive vote from the workforce would see a major 747-400 reconfiguration program awarded to the facility. We reluctantly took part in the discussions that ultimately led to a very average Agreement being placed before the workforce. The Agreement was accepted by the majority six weeks after negotiations began along with the commitment for the reconfig work.
The ALAEA were conscious all along that Qantas did not want this work carried out in Australia. We suspect there was an expectation that the ALAEA would oppose the offer, the vote would go down and our Association would be blamed for taking an unreasonable position that led to the loss of Australian jobs. We took a neutral stance during the vote for this reason and the approved Agreement meant that Qantas had locked themselves into a commitment they never intended to keep.
As the reconfigs were locked in by the new Agreement, Qantas have now announced that they will ditch the other work carried out by Avalon Qantas and Forstaff employees. 747 D checks. To say our trust in Qantas management is somewhat diminished would be an understatement. This underhanded move serves as a reminder that the Qantas wage negotiations currently underway are critical for the future of all members working for the airline. Locking in binding job security clauses that are enforceable in courtrooms is our number one priority and a must when we consider final settlement of any offer.
STEVE PURVINAS
Federal Secretary
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Oz
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, maybe we need to await the arrival of our new American Maintenance manager in October..........I wonder what his thoughts will be?
As an aside, we now have a Kiwi and a Yank in charge of Maintenance at an airline run by an Irishman.........
Were there no suitable Australian people? How can an American be expected to be in tune with all the CASA regs / structures/ practices?
Not to mention all the Australian OHS, worksafe and government legislation proceedures..........
As an aside, we now have a Kiwi and a Yank in charge of Maintenance at an airline run by an Irishman.........
Were there no suitable Australian people? How can an American be expected to be in tune with all the CASA regs / structures/ practices?
Not to mention all the Australian OHS, worksafe and government legislation proceedures..........
I think it's more to do with the overall running of the place, he doesn't need to know the intricacies, he just needs to surround himself with people who do.
What he will do is probably be the one to commission a review with our favourite consultants, project it a year/6 months in advance to keep everyone on tenterhooks and come to the forgone conclusion that yes it is too expensive AUD and all that sort of stuff.
I predict AVV will be gone once the reconfigs are done and the remaining facilities in BNE/MEL to be joint ventured into with ST Aerospace or Lufthansa Technik so they can synergize world's best practice or some crap like that. Then a year later totally divest themselves out of the heavy maintenance game.
Basically the same script they ran with overhauling engines.
Just my prediction.
What he will do is probably be the one to commission a review with our favourite consultants, project it a year/6 months in advance to keep everyone on tenterhooks and come to the forgone conclusion that yes it is too expensive AUD and all that sort of stuff.
I predict AVV will be gone once the reconfigs are done and the remaining facilities in BNE/MEL to be joint ventured into with ST Aerospace or Lufthansa Technik so they can synergize world's best practice or some crap like that. Then a year later totally divest themselves out of the heavy maintenance game.
Basically the same script they ran with overhauling engines.
Just my prediction.
So, are QF sending aircraft overseas for D checks, ripping them apart for the check and then putting them back together, and then sending them later to Avalon to be ripped apart again for cabin reconfig?
Or are they doing D checks on the life expired ones before sending them off to the desert?
Either way, is that world's best practice???
Or are they doing D checks on the life expired ones before sending them off to the desert?
Either way, is that world's best practice???
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: in a house
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From what I hear with my contact is that one 747 has a C - Check at the same time as the Reconfig... the first reconfig is currently about 6 days behind.
The workscope appears to be much heavier in Sheetmetal hours and they are throwing all the S/M guys that they can find at the Aircraft. Sounds like the usual rubbish organisation by those who are considered to be in charge.
My understanding is that they had at least 6 guys working on the Planning for the project for at least 3months.
Compulsory Stand Down has just been called for the Forstaff H6 guys, but not all of them... Preparations for the H5 'improvements' prior to the AD Aircraft that needs extra work not completed whilst OS Heavy check are now complete and now there is not enough Aircraft to work.
Some say the end is nigh...
The workscope appears to be much heavier in Sheetmetal hours and they are throwing all the S/M guys that they can find at the Aircraft. Sounds like the usual rubbish organisation by those who are considered to be in charge.
My understanding is that they had at least 6 guys working on the Planning for the project for at least 3months.
Compulsory Stand Down has just been called for the Forstaff H6 guys, but not all of them... Preparations for the H5 'improvements' prior to the AD Aircraft that needs extra work not completed whilst OS Heavy check are now complete and now there is not enough Aircraft to work.
Some say the end is nigh...
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: in a house
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
yes... that is what I hear too. I have been told that with idiots like that running the place it is doomed to fail but I guess they will continue to blame the guys on the floor.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Earth
Posts: 804
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This was all a problem with first ever reconfigs at avalon Heath Tecna job cards full of errors and its now the same again its an utter bloody shambles . the end is nigh
And the former Forstaff lames who are now qantas lames are not helping with the ra ra ra one for all all for one qantas way of thinking the bowing and scraping that went on when AJ was here was just embarrassing
And the former Forstaff lames who are now qantas lames are not helping with the ra ra ra one for all all for one qantas way of thinking the bowing and scraping that went on when AJ was here was just embarrassing
Last edited by Jethro Gibbs; 14th Sep 2011 at 06:58.
