Qantas’ search for female pilots has led to more workplace harassment - Quartz
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Qantas’ search for female pilots has led to more workplace harassment - Quartz
QF hiring more female pilots leads to more victims of sexual harassment in the #MeToo era:
Australian airline Qantas has lofty ambitions to increase the number of women in its cockpits.
In 2017, it launched the Nancy Bird Walton initiative, named for the pioneering female pilot, and committed to having women make up at least 20% of its 2018 pilot intake. Within the next decade, the airline said, at least 40% of its new pilot hires will be female. It’s a big jump: As of earlier this year, around 250 of Qantas’ 4,000 pilots were women. But behind the scenes, according to an independent survey of 2,400 Qantas pilots and cabin crew, there are significant costs for these female pilots. Some said they experienced a backlash against the campaign, and were forced to bear the brunt of their male colleagues’ ire.
While one in four Qantas employees had experienced sexual harassment in the past year from a coworker or passenger, female pilots reported the highest rates of sexual harassment and bullying, according to The Australian, which obtained the Qantas report. In some cases, that bullying includes sexist comments, which two-thirds of female pilots found “common,” or suggestions that they had been given their jobs because of their gender, rather than on merit.
Until 2016, female Qantas pilots had to wear men’s uniforms. Their uniforms may fit better now, but the atmosphere in the cockpit can still be uncomfortable, as one anonymous commenter observed in the report: “The men are always telling stories about female pilots. As soon as a female pilot makes a mistake, it’s as if all female pilots are bad or hopeless.” Other airline colleagues noted a culture of “what happens on tour stays on tour,” where whistle-blowers are made to feel like trouble-makers or “put through the absolute ringer” (sic) for speaking out. Qantas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Female pilots face comparable challenges worldwide, with harassment and discrimination reported at airlines in Canada, the US, and the UK.
In the US, pilots have the greatest adjusted gender pay gap of all professions, according to a Glassdoor report, with a 27% gap in base pay. Surprisingly, this gap appears to be widening. In an email, Geoff Murray, a former commercial pilot and current Oliver Wyman aerospace consultant, said this disparity is probably the result of a lack of seniority among female pilots, who tend to be newer recruits. The first woman employed as a pilot in the US, Emily Warner, was hired as recently as 1973, he said: even now, women make up about 6% of all US commercial pilots. The numbers are gradually creeping up, however: In 2018, 7,136 women were certified to fly as airline pilots in the US, up 26% from 2009, out of a total of 99,880.
With aviation facing unprecedented growth, airlines are moving fast to head off a growing shortage of pilots. Many have concluded that women are the answer, and adopted similar policies accordingly: Virgin Australia last year announced that it would be aiming for gender parity among its 2019 cadets. But despite these initiatives, it’s still rare to hear a woman’s voice over the public address system. More concerning is how many of the old guard seem to prefer it that way.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/qanta...194051247.html
Qantas’ search for female pilots has led to more workplace harassment
In 2017, it launched the Nancy Bird Walton initiative, named for the pioneering female pilot, and committed to having women make up at least 20% of its 2018 pilot intake. Within the next decade, the airline said, at least 40% of its new pilot hires will be female. It’s a big jump: As of earlier this year, around 250 of Qantas’ 4,000 pilots were women. But behind the scenes, according to an independent survey of 2,400 Qantas pilots and cabin crew, there are significant costs for these female pilots. Some said they experienced a backlash against the campaign, and were forced to bear the brunt of their male colleagues’ ire.
While one in four Qantas employees had experienced sexual harassment in the past year from a coworker or passenger, female pilots reported the highest rates of sexual harassment and bullying, according to The Australian, which obtained the Qantas report. In some cases, that bullying includes sexist comments, which two-thirds of female pilots found “common,” or suggestions that they had been given their jobs because of their gender, rather than on merit.
Until 2016, female Qantas pilots had to wear men’s uniforms. Their uniforms may fit better now, but the atmosphere in the cockpit can still be uncomfortable, as one anonymous commenter observed in the report: “The men are always telling stories about female pilots. As soon as a female pilot makes a mistake, it’s as if all female pilots are bad or hopeless.” Other airline colleagues noted a culture of “what happens on tour stays on tour,” where whistle-blowers are made to feel like trouble-makers or “put through the absolute ringer” (sic) for speaking out. Qantas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Female pilots face comparable challenges worldwide, with harassment and discrimination reported at airlines in Canada, the US, and the UK.
In the US, pilots have the greatest adjusted gender pay gap of all professions, according to a Glassdoor report, with a 27% gap in base pay. Surprisingly, this gap appears to be widening. In an email, Geoff Murray, a former commercial pilot and current Oliver Wyman aerospace consultant, said this disparity is probably the result of a lack of seniority among female pilots, who tend to be newer recruits. The first woman employed as a pilot in the US, Emily Warner, was hired as recently as 1973, he said: even now, women make up about 6% of all US commercial pilots. The numbers are gradually creeping up, however: In 2018, 7,136 women were certified to fly as airline pilots in the US, up 26% from 2009, out of a total of 99,880.
With aviation facing unprecedented growth, airlines are moving fast to head off a growing shortage of pilots. Many have concluded that women are the answer, and adopted similar policies accordingly: Virgin Australia last year announced that it would be aiming for gender parity among its 2019 cadets. But despite these initiatives, it’s still rare to hear a woman’s voice over the public address system. More concerning is how many of the old guard seem to prefer it that way.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/qanta...194051247.html
While one in four Qantas employees had experienced sexual harassment in the past year from a coworker or passenger, female pilots reported the highest rates of sexual harassment and bullying, according to The Australian, which obtained the Qantas report.
The report stated:
• Around 1 in 4 male and female cabin crew reported experiencing sexual harassment from a colleague in the past 12 months. (Similar to national average.)
• Female pilots were three times more likely than male pilots to experience sexual harassment from a colleague, with over 1 in 4 female pilots reporting experiences of sexual harassment in the past 12 months.
• Instances of bullying among cabin crew was significantly higher than among pilots. Around 1 in 4 cabin crew reported experiencing bullying in the last 12 months compared to around 1 in 10 pilots. Female pilots were twice as likely to report experiencing bullying
• Female pilots were three times more likely than male pilots to experience sexual harassment from a colleague, with over 1 in 4 female pilots reporting experiences of sexual harassment in the past 12 months.
• Instances of bullying among cabin crew was significantly higher than among pilots. Around 1 in 4 cabin crew reported experiencing bullying in the last 12 months compared to around 1 in 10 pilots. Female pilots were twice as likely to report experiencing bullying
Don’t get me wrong, ANY harassment or bullying is inexcusable and we should absolutely target a 0% occurrence rate. But the study does not show pilots to be worse than the rest of the airline or worse than the national average. We should strive to be better but the article feels like it is painting pilots in an unfair light.
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Amazing.
Most want or accept the special treatment to get in then expect to be treated the same as the rest that had to battle.
The jokes and the assumptions were always going to follow once gendar targets/quotas were allowed.
I’d like to see some other percentages.
Maybe the amount of females that apply to the amount that get in, let’s take it one further and compare assessment day results. I know girls that have came out of sims crying (some laughing) as they believe they‘ve just butchered every component of their sim...had their letter of offer a few weeks later.
Most want or accept the special treatment to get in then expect to be treated the same as the rest that had to battle.
The jokes and the assumptions were always going to follow once gendar targets/quotas were allowed.
I’d like to see some other percentages.
Maybe the amount of females that apply to the amount that get in, let’s take it one further and compare assessment day results. I know girls that have came out of sims crying (some laughing) as they believe they‘ve just butchered every component of their sim...had their letter of offer a few weeks later.
How interesting.
There is no place for harassment or intimidation of any sort in any workplace.
Consider this..
Sunrise looks doomed.
Short and Long Haul EBA's are front and centre.
To facilitate the above, a requirement for pilots to be the bad guys in the eyes of the public.
QF pilots are now portrayed as misogynistic workplace bullies.
I can see where this is going.........
There is no place for harassment or intimidation of any sort in any workplace.
Consider this..
Sunrise looks doomed.
Short and Long Haul EBA's are front and centre.
To facilitate the above, a requirement for pilots to be the bad guys in the eyes of the public.
QF pilots are now portrayed as misogynistic workplace bullies.
I can see where this is going.........
There needs to be acceptance in the general population that Aviation is hard for everybody, it's not because you are a girl that it is hard and somehow you need special treatment.
The problem with this whole quota issue is that it drives resentment from men and woman who made alot of sacrifices and put up with alot just to get into an airline.
The problem with this whole quota issue is that it drives resentment from men and woman who made alot of sacrifices and put up with alot just to get into an airline.
Maybe the amount of females that apply to the amount that get in, let’s take it one further and compare assessment day results. I know girls that have came out of sims crying (some laughing) as they believe they‘ve just butchered every component of their sim...had their letter of offer a few weeks later.
And plenty of pilots (male and female) who've come out of a recruiting assessment loudly proclaiming they totally aced it, and are guaranteed of a job. And when the rejection letter arrives it wasn't their fault, the recruiters were too biased/stupid/blind to see their obvious brilliance...
Last edited by dr dre; 5th Nov 2019 at 04:24.
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How interesting.
There is no place for harassment or intimidation of any sort in any workplace.
Consider this..
Sunrise looks doomed.
Short and Long Haul EBA's are front and centre.
To facilitate the above, a requirement for pilots to be the bad guys in the eyes of the public.
QF pilots are now portrayed as misogynistic workplace bullies.
I can see where this is going.........
There is no place for harassment or intimidation of any sort in any workplace.
Consider this..
Sunrise looks doomed.
Short and Long Haul EBA's are front and centre.
To facilitate the above, a requirement for pilots to be the bad guys in the eyes of the public.
QF pilots are now portrayed as misogynistic workplace bullies.
I can see where this is going.........
Obstructionist, kamikaze and now misogynist.
That airlines have a "gender inbalance" is ironically due to the reality that there actually are less women in aviation. Also less in some trades and under representation in the armed forces in some areas.
Is it that women choose other vocations? Yes, quite often it is. The US BLS conducted a long term longitudinal study in "the gender pay gap" finding a small one existed. The cause of it likely to be choice: Women were traditionally attracted to roles with less remuneration.
When the CEO openly states that it is now policy to hire more women pilots is it a surprise that there are more women pilots?
Didn't Qantas have a whole course of female pilots for International Women's day?
What an "amazing" coincidence that despite under representation in the industry, "the best pilots Qantas had on hold all happen to be women, all on International Women's day"
Once it was merit, now gender apparently matters.
Discrimination fixes apparent discrimination.
The mind boggles as to the crewing arrangement should these pilots decide that they would also like children.
Last edited by Rated De; 5th Nov 2019 at 06:13.
How interesting.
There is no place for harassment or intimidation of any sort in any workplace.
Consider this..
Sunrise looks doomed.
Short and Long Haul EBA's are front and centre.
To facilitate the above, a requirement for pilots to be the bad guys in the eyes of the public.
QF pilots are now portrayed as misogynistic workplace bullies.
I can see where this is going.........
There is no place for harassment or intimidation of any sort in any workplace.
Consider this..
Sunrise looks doomed.
Short and Long Haul EBA's are front and centre.
To facilitate the above, a requirement for pilots to be the bad guys in the eyes of the public.
QF pilots are now portrayed as misogynistic workplace bullies.
I can see where this is going.........
I would hope for no harassment of any kind but it's rather astounding to have it reported just now. Who would thunkd it
By definition, the alleged Qantas target for gender representation means that qualified male candidates will be passed over in favor of female candidates that meet threshold minimum requirements until such time as the target is deemed to be achieved. Basic maths.
That means also by definition that males with equal or higher skill levels than women will be rejected.
BUT after a year and or two on the job I believe there should be no measurable difference in performance PROVIDED training and assessment standards are uniformly applied.
If they aren’t, Qantas female pilots are going to destroy its safety record in the name of gender equity.
That means also by definition that males with equal or higher skill levels than women will be rejected.
BUT after a year and or two on the job I believe there should be no measurable difference in performance PROVIDED training and assessment standards are uniformly applied.
If they aren’t, Qantas female pilots are going to destroy its safety record in the name of gender equity.
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Didn't Qantas have a whole course of female pilots for International Women's day?
The mind boggles as to the crewing arrangement should these pilots decide that they would also like children.
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How can you be sexually harassed in these days of gender fluidity?
On a serious note I have a close friend who job is to recruit more women for the ADF. She has complained about the level of entitlement of young women these days who, fully aware of their desirability in the virtue signalling game, act as if their recruitment and preferential advancement into the ADF is but assured.
Other tensions arise from the assumption that women on promotional lists are there for quota purposes; which infuriates those who got there on merit.
The same applies in QF; those most loudly decrying these quotas are the old school female pilots. It's No Win from all perspectives.
On a serious note I have a close friend who job is to recruit more women for the ADF. She has complained about the level of entitlement of young women these days who, fully aware of their desirability in the virtue signalling game, act as if their recruitment and preferential advancement into the ADF is but assured.
Other tensions arise from the assumption that women on promotional lists are there for quota purposes; which infuriates those who got there on merit.
The same applies in QF; those most loudly decrying these quotas are the old school female pilots. It's No Win from all perspectives.
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[QUOTE
No. The course that started in the month of IWD this year (March) was 50% female. The course that started previously was 100% male, the course that started after was 95% male. Overall I'm told unofficially the % of new hire females is roughly similar to the percentage of female applicants.
.[/QUOTE]
QLINK had a full intake of females during IWD.
I believe some were even flown into Sydney the week before ground school for photos.
No. The course that started in the month of IWD this year (March) was 50% female. The course that started previously was 100% male, the course that started after was 95% male. Overall I'm told unofficially the % of new hire females is roughly similar to the percentage of female applicants.
.[/QUOTE]
QLINK had a full intake of females during IWD.
I believe some were even flown into Sydney the week before ground school for photos.
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Also been unofficially told that over the course of a pilots career male pilots are more likely to take extended periods off work due injury and illness than female pilots due pregnancy. The thought being men, especially older men, have higher rates of chronic illness and and younger men are more likely to undertake extreme and adventure sports that make them more prone to long term injury.
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