Qantas announcement today
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QANTAS TO GROUND MORE AIRCRAFT DUE TO UNION ACTION
SYDNEY, 18 October 2011:
Qantas will ground a further two wide-body Boeing 767 aircraft on Monday as ongoing industrial action from the Australian Licenced Engineers Association (ALAEA) continues to cause a backlog of maintenance on the Qantas fleet.
The grounding of these two aircraft will see a further 80 domestic flights cancelled over the next month, and the removal of approximately 20,000 seats of capacity. This will mainly impact flights between the eastern states and Perth.
As a direct result of the ongoing ALAEA ban on overtime and work to rule, Qantas has now been forced to ground seven aircraft, cancel around 500 flights and remove approximately 88,000 seats from sale over the next month.
In addition, since union strike action began less than two months ago by the ALAEA and the Transport Workers’ Union more than 60,000 passengers have been directly impacted, with 129 flights cancelled and 321 flights delayed or brought forward.
Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the ALAEA was continuing a ban on overtime work which had been in place since September as well as a work to rule, which has caused the backlog of maintenance.
“The ongoing action from the licensed aircraft maintenance engineers’ union means we do not have the manpower to fulfil all of the necessary maintenance on our fleet of aircraft,” Mr Joyce said.
“The industrial action has caused a shortfall of more than 60,000 man hours of maintenance and this is increasing on a daily basis, forcing us to ground aircraft.
“If this overtime ban continues, we will be grounding even more aircraft. This is not a safety concern as problems are addressed before planes fly. But it is causing ongoing and unplanned disruption to our customers.
“This is impacting our passengers’ holiday and business travel plans and it is impacting on the tourism industry.”
In addition to the grounding of these two Boeing 767s, Qantas has already grounded four Boeing 737s and a Boeing 767.
The ALAEA has provided Qantas with written notification that it will keep the ban on overtime and the ‘go-slow’ in place until Christmas.
On time performance has slipped from 87 per cent five weeks ago to 75 per cent this week.
Mr Joyce said the union’s claims that these aircraft were already going to be grounded are incorrect and was an attempt to divert attention away from the significant damage the union was doing to Qantas and its passengers.
“These aircraft are flying this week and from Monday they won’t be. When we clear the backlog of maintenance then the aircraft will be put back into service. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
“The union is still demanding significant pay increases and guarantees that old work practices remain in place despite new generation aircraft requiring less maintenance, less often.
"The union is still demanding that Qantas hands over control of parts of the business to union leaders.
Until the union drops its unreasonable demands we are not going to get any closer to an agreement.
“We are committed to reaching a negotiated outcome with the three unions we are in a dispute with.
We are meeting with the Transport Workers’ Union today, the ALAEA on Thursday and the pilots’ union on 28 October.”
The total cost of the ALAEA’s claim is $165 million - plus $95 million to build a new hangar. Details of the EBA claim from the ALAEA include:
Issued by Qantas Corporate Communication (Q5210)
Media Enquiries:
Luke Enright M: 0428 527 960
SYDNEY, 18 October 2011:
Qantas will ground a further two wide-body Boeing 767 aircraft on Monday as ongoing industrial action from the Australian Licenced Engineers Association (ALAEA) continues to cause a backlog of maintenance on the Qantas fleet.
The grounding of these two aircraft will see a further 80 domestic flights cancelled over the next month, and the removal of approximately 20,000 seats of capacity. This will mainly impact flights between the eastern states and Perth.
As a direct result of the ongoing ALAEA ban on overtime and work to rule, Qantas has now been forced to ground seven aircraft, cancel around 500 flights and remove approximately 88,000 seats from sale over the next month.
In addition, since union strike action began less than two months ago by the ALAEA and the Transport Workers’ Union more than 60,000 passengers have been directly impacted, with 129 flights cancelled and 321 flights delayed or brought forward.
Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the ALAEA was continuing a ban on overtime work which had been in place since September as well as a work to rule, which has caused the backlog of maintenance.
“The ongoing action from the licensed aircraft maintenance engineers’ union means we do not have the manpower to fulfil all of the necessary maintenance on our fleet of aircraft,” Mr Joyce said.
“The industrial action has caused a shortfall of more than 60,000 man hours of maintenance and this is increasing on a daily basis, forcing us to ground aircraft.
“If this overtime ban continues, we will be grounding even more aircraft. This is not a safety concern as problems are addressed before planes fly. But it is causing ongoing and unplanned disruption to our customers.
“This is impacting our passengers’ holiday and business travel plans and it is impacting on the tourism industry.”
In addition to the grounding of these two Boeing 767s, Qantas has already grounded four Boeing 737s and a Boeing 767.
The ALAEA has provided Qantas with written notification that it will keep the ban on overtime and the ‘go-slow’ in place until Christmas.
On time performance has slipped from 87 per cent five weeks ago to 75 per cent this week.
Mr Joyce said the union’s claims that these aircraft were already going to be grounded are incorrect and was an attempt to divert attention away from the significant damage the union was doing to Qantas and its passengers.
“These aircraft are flying this week and from Monday they won’t be. When we clear the backlog of maintenance then the aircraft will be put back into service. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
“The union is still demanding significant pay increases and guarantees that old work practices remain in place despite new generation aircraft requiring less maintenance, less often.
"The union is still demanding that Qantas hands over control of parts of the business to union leaders.
Until the union drops its unreasonable demands we are not going to get any closer to an agreement.
“We are committed to reaching a negotiated outcome with the three unions we are in a dispute with.
We are meeting with the Transport Workers’ Union today, the ALAEA on Thursday and the pilots’ union on 28 October.”
The total cost of the ALAEA’s claim is $165 million - plus $95 million to build a new hangar. Details of the EBA claim from the ALAEA include:
- Around 15 per cent increase in wages and allowances over three years. The remuneration package of the average licensed engineer would be around $170,000 in January 2013 if we agreed to the ALAEA’s claim.
- A guarantee that no changes be made to current work practices including changes which improve productivity or that are in line with developments in modern aircraft technology.
- Introduction of a time serving classification structure where workers receive additional pay increases based on years of service rather than merit or qualifications.
Issued by Qantas Corporate Communication (Q5210)
Media Enquiries:
Luke Enright M: 0428 527 960
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I'm sure that if Qantas has acted illegally someone somewhere will take the appropriate legal action.
I just can't understand why people are questioning the relevance of Qantas' tag - The Spirit of Australia.
Perhaps someone should ask why working to rule should cause maintenance problems? I don't understand why an employer should complain if their employees work to the rules set out in their agreements?
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Maybe it's like Airservices Australia, who break out in a rash of TIBAs every time there's an overtime ban, ie overtime is a fundamental part of their rostering system. Is that the case in Qantas maintenance as well?
I'd be very surprised if anything I do, say or publish makes an ounce of difference to what occurs at Qantas or any other airline, so I suspect that's highly unlikely.
I said that you may not be entitled to dictate what occurs
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I need Help!!!
Can someone please help me because im not very bright!
QF are grounding A/C (that are for sale anyway) because Engineers wont
work on a there days off. So effectively the fleet will be grounded because Engineers are spending time with there family's!
Engineers are working to Policy/rules which are the Policies Management designed and endorsed. If Engineers dont follow the policy it is a dismissable offence.
Engines fail at an unacceptable rate because of Management Policies to Outsource Engines.
Do I keep going?
Am I missing something?
QF are grounding A/C (that are for sale anyway) because Engineers wont
work on a there days off. So effectively the fleet will be grounded because Engineers are spending time with there family's!
Engineers are working to Policy/rules which are the Policies Management designed and endorsed. If Engineers dont follow the policy it is a dismissable offence.
Engines fail at an unacceptable rate because of Management Policies to Outsource Engines.
Do I keep going?
Am I missing something?
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What I'd like to know is: If AJ just will not move on job security, that must mean there must be more coming......So what is it? What is his big picture, his plan, his vision for QF 3 years from now?
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So what is it? What is his big picture, his plan, his vision for QF 3 years from now?
Domestically, not sure of the "vision thing", there haven't been enough public gaffes... yet. Be sure of once the international division is dealt with, we will be hearing a lot more about domestic return on capital and a majestic (Asian) orange sunrise.
Third party leasing & contracting is the space to watch.
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Perhaps someone should ask why working to rule should cause maintenance problems? I don't understand why an employer should complain if their employees work to the rules set out in their agreements?
Can someone tell me why the reduced flying lines are not being applied to the loss making 747 routes?
What I'd like to know is: If AJ just will not move on job security, that must mean there must be more coming......So what is it? What is his big picture, his plan, his vision for QF 3 years from now?
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All the best plans in the world can be obliterated overnight by just one great big smoking hole.
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Who thought the French would lead by example?
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Qantas to ground more aircraft due to union action
1. Since when are we asking for 15% over 3 years and since when does the average engineer earn 170K??
2. I don't remember the Union putting a claim for a $95million hangar for the benefit of its LAMEs..
3. I don't know any LAMEs who refuse to change our current work practices.There's no question they're years out of date compared to all the other main airlines.You also have to bear in mind that these outdated practices were put in by previous management.
4. Years of service for pay increases-gotta agree with that one..Currently The only way to progress is through type training..Unfortunately,under the QE grand scheme of things,this opportunity is reserved for the brown nosers and golf buddies and has got absolutely f*ck all to do with merit.
A cancer in engineering which is spreading and needs to be cut out along with those Maint Supervisors and Ops Manager positions!!..What a waste of money!!!!
These claims by AJ are laughable but the public are buying it..Almost everyday I'm asked by friends whats going on?..They have a totally different idea and I constantly find myself refutting them..
C'mon Fed Sec lets have a press conference to refute this daily bullsh*t that we have to listen too..
2. I don't remember the Union putting a claim for a $95million hangar for the benefit of its LAMEs..
3. I don't know any LAMEs who refuse to change our current work practices.There's no question they're years out of date compared to all the other main airlines.You also have to bear in mind that these outdated practices were put in by previous management.
4. Years of service for pay increases-gotta agree with that one..Currently The only way to progress is through type training..Unfortunately,under the QE grand scheme of things,this opportunity is reserved for the brown nosers and golf buddies and has got absolutely f*ck all to do with merit.
A cancer in engineering which is spreading and needs to be cut out along with those Maint Supervisors and Ops Manager positions!!..What a waste of money!!!!
These claims by AJ are laughable but the public are buying it..Almost everyday I'm asked by friends whats going on?..They have a totally different idea and I constantly find myself refutting them..
C'mon Fed Sec lets have a press conference to refute this daily bullsh*t that we have to listen too..
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If one follows the theme that Qantas only grounded the older B737s which were on the market as a publicity stunt, can someone offer a rational explanation why, on my count by comparing timetables, there have been on a per week basis 5 SYDADLSYD, 5 BNEMELBNE, 16 SYDBNESYD, 21 SYDMELSYD, 1 SYDPERSYD flights cancelled because they were selling the older aircraft anyway. On the other hand if an airline was having trouble getting enough manhours out of its engineers for whatever reason, wouldn't it make sense to take the older aircraft which by definition require more servicing out of service first? Just my thoughts.
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Is it smart to have OVERTIME / or lack of it, so affecting aircraft availability??
So many aircraft are being grounded due lack of overtime for normal maintenance that perhaps management are to blame for not employing a couple of dozen [hundred] more engineers!
So many aircraft are being grounded due lack of overtime for normal maintenance that perhaps management are to blame for not employing a couple of dozen [hundred] more engineers!
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Air France-KLM chief facing sack
He even looks like AJ, (probably got better teeth though)
I disagree, AJ looks much older! Perhaps the uprising was due to him cutting costs and no longer using Danish Butter within catering?
He even looks like AJ, (probably got better teeth though)
I disagree, AJ looks much older! Perhaps the uprising was due to him cutting costs and no longer using Danish Butter within catering?
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I must be missing something ...
AJ complaining we are refusing to do overtime and jumping up and down because we are working to rule.. ? Calling it a go slow??
Well, I'm my work area , overtime has been pretty well wiped off the map for the last 2 or 3 years...
As for working to rule.... MR JOYCE, if u will put in writing that u want us to disregard the qantas system of maintenance approved by CASA, and the policy and procedures manuals That your management team have put in place , and the qantas minor MAINT manuals etc etc... And be solely responsible for any accident or injury that occurs.... Then I'll consider it.
Until then, we are playing by the rules. The same rules your team insist are being followed at the world class MRO's that now do some of our heavy checks .
As for your media stunts.. Hahaha nice try.
We all know what management want to do to OUR company.
U might have the media in your pocket, but we got word of mouth.. And that goes a lot further than ur ****ty media.
As for your plans to Asianise the airline... Can we see the detailed studies, the route analysis' , and coatings for all these plans?
I'm sure u had several plans to chose from. But I know of no operational staff who were consulted or invited to contribute to this grand plan.
As for your little orange cancer... Go talk to the public about their experiences.. There is even a website dedicated to how pathetic it is. !!
Well, I'll let u get back to your chairmanship lounge to complain how bad we all are.. I'm sure all the crooked businessmen and pOliticians are lining up to support u , waiting for their free qantas sponsored trips to sporting events or upgrades on their next overseas trip... ( probably bumping someone on a 30 year long service trip back to economy )
Cheers mate!!
AJ complaining we are refusing to do overtime and jumping up and down because we are working to rule.. ? Calling it a go slow??
Well, I'm my work area , overtime has been pretty well wiped off the map for the last 2 or 3 years...
As for working to rule.... MR JOYCE, if u will put in writing that u want us to disregard the qantas system of maintenance approved by CASA, and the policy and procedures manuals That your management team have put in place , and the qantas minor MAINT manuals etc etc... And be solely responsible for any accident or injury that occurs.... Then I'll consider it.
Until then, we are playing by the rules. The same rules your team insist are being followed at the world class MRO's that now do some of our heavy checks .
As for your media stunts.. Hahaha nice try.
We all know what management want to do to OUR company.
U might have the media in your pocket, but we got word of mouth.. And that goes a lot further than ur ****ty media.
As for your plans to Asianise the airline... Can we see the detailed studies, the route analysis' , and coatings for all these plans?
I'm sure u had several plans to chose from. But I know of no operational staff who were consulted or invited to contribute to this grand plan.
As for your little orange cancer... Go talk to the public about their experiences.. There is even a website dedicated to how pathetic it is. !!
Well, I'll let u get back to your chairmanship lounge to complain how bad we all are.. I'm sure all the crooked businessmen and pOliticians are lining up to support u , waiting for their free qantas sponsored trips to sporting events or upgrades on their next overseas trip... ( probably bumping someone on a 30 year long service trip back to economy )
Cheers mate!!
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So when does the Buggery campaign start? Oh that's right, Qantas does not tolerate threats, harrassment or intimidation in any form.
And just remember, there are no double standards at Qantas.
And just remember, there are no double standards at Qantas.
Last edited by Dockie; 20th Oct 2011 at 01:56.
