Virgin Blue and the CAO48 Exemption
 

Just wondering at what stage the VB guys are at negotiating the CAO 48 Exemption with the company. What have you decided it is worth?

Also, is it true you are about to sign off on a new EBA? If so, what was negotiated.

Cheers

Happy:)

Sorry Happy from one of my mates in VB the exemption was never on the table for negotiation apparently it is some UK thing, cap something or other. As for the EBA still no sign of it being finished let alone voted on.

CAP 371. EBA still being negotiated......no further comment.

Why the secrecy Spruce? The pooling of info between the pilot groups can only help our collective cause. QF B737 guys are being offered 0% fo three years and a one off 3% bonus. Negotiations are stalled with QF indicating no willingness to talk further. An interesting memo was put out by the 737 Fleet Manager which said that QF managements reluctance to talk was further strengthened by the proposed VB EBA contents. They seemed to have inside info and are directly using its contents against us!

Spruce is not being secretive. In fact, he has told you pretty much everything that we know, hence there are no further comments to be made!

I am reluctant to comment on things I don't have first hand info on. Also I am reluctant to comment on matters that may be in a state of flux as my spin may not be accurate and that would be unfair to our negotiators. It's not like Pprune is hardly watched!!

We are being enticed to change our work rules to a modified version of CAP 371. It works in 28 day allotments of flying. Therefore there will be 13 roster periods in a year as opposed to the 12 calendar periods we currently have. We are being told that VB want an average of 850 hours per year from the pilots. An overtime payment scheme has been mooted (I say mooted because it is all moot until we get something to vote on). We are looking at a new roster building software program which apparently is capable of roster efficiencies well above that of SABRE. Apparently. Our negotiators have worked very hard to arrive where they presently are and the job is not done. Its not my place to second guess any of the behind the scenes goings on, at least not on this web site. We have our own internal pilot forum web site and the discussions are more "open" than here. QF may or may not know anything. Everyone has friends in the business, some friendlier than others. Who knows what gets discussed at pissy corporate lunches. VB would be the least of QF's pilots concerns. They have Jetstar. Thats concern enough.

Just be careful of terms like;

"will endeavor to" or
"will exhaust all other avenues before.."
"the intent of this agreement is"

If you let them they will and don't believe otherwise...it's business!

Don't mean to preach to the converted just a bit cynical. :ugh:

Don't worry, we are very vocally against that language but of course VB will try it on.