Qantas denies using prisoners to clean
 

Claims that Qantas is using prisoners from Singapore's Changi Prison to clean aircraft before maintenance are outrageous accusations, the airline says.

An engineers union said day release prisoners from the jail were used to clean the flight deck of Qantas jets ahead of maintenance.

Executive general manager of Qantas engineering David Cox has denied the claims. "This is an outrageous accusation which we categorically deny," a spokesman for Mr Cox said. "No prisoner in Singapore has access to any Qantas aircraft undergoing heavy maintenance."

Earlier on Tuesday, the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association federal secretary Steve Purvinas told a parliamentary inquiry that prisoners also were used to wash down wheel bays.

He told the inquiry into the impact of the potential sale of Qantas on its budget subsidiary Jetstar that prisoners were released under supervision and taken to the Qantas aircraft.

"The prisoners are used to wash down the wheel well bays before inspections, they're used to go upstairs into the flight deck of the aircraft and to clean the area out so it's ready for inspection by the local engineers," Mr Purvinas said.

Changi Prison houses Singapore's most serious criminal offenders, including those sentenced to death.

Melbourne drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van was hanged at Changi in December 2005 after being convicted of trying to smuggle almost 400 grams of heroin through Singapore to Australia.

Initiated by the Senate, the inquiry is looking at a bill proposed by Family First senator Stephen Fielding, which aims to offer the same protections to Jetstar that are offered to Qantas under the Qantas Sale Act.


©AAP 2007

QF came out to refute this straight away, but their response seemed a bit too quick. Now I don't know if this is true, but how is QF to know how a contractor in SIN gets their employees.

My personal opinion on this is that it is most likely true, just have to wait and see.

It's a big call.

Hope the ALAEA isn't going down the wrong path.

I wonder if the Singaporean govt. supplies cheap workers to Maintenance facilities? Maybe illegal immgrants from Mainland China? Work to pay for their deportation?

Could be a way to save money and look after their mates in certain companies? I wonder if they do this??

Here's and idea.... could save $$$ by having female prisoners inspect and re-pack headsets for the entertainment system.

I wonder where they get them done now?

There is more than one witness to back up the claim apparently.
Big call by QF to express "outrage".
What would be the public perception of QF if they not only have a prison workforce cleaning the aircraft but get caught lying about it?

I saw this happening first hand in Singapore 9 years ago. I was really surprised at the time. They were not really hardened criminals but Illegal immigrants (mainly Bangladeshi) bussed in every morning spending their day in shorts and thongs with a bucket of MEK and a rag, cleaning stringers in the cargo bay of D Check aircraft. At the time I was told they are made to do it for "a couple of dollars an hour" until they have earned enough to pay their flight home.
It was quite sad really. I saw so many of them washing themselves in MEK.

There were of course no QANTAS aircraft there then but I'm not surprised in the least it still goes on.

I have in the past worked in Singapore and my understanding was the government hires out illegal immigrants, uses their pay to pay for board and deportation and gives them the rest.SASCO uses them as cleaners and a fine job they do. It seemed to be mostly Cambodians when I was there, they liked the deal so much they kept returning again and again. Singapore imports everything including labour. How would Cox know about SASCO'S recruitment practices, I only found out from a local. You can't talk to them as they speak no english. Maybe we could try work for the dole or day release prisoners to match "worlds best practice".

Potentialy quite despicable
 

If this is how Qantas are seeking to break the unions in Australia, their policies are nothing short of despicable. Surely Qantas conducts all necessary checks to see that its off-shore providers are paying their employees/contractors etc at least the going rate for the appropriate labour in whatever country they are in? Nothing would surprise about what would happen in the Lyin' City but if ever there was a smell of open exploitation, then this is it, be the exploited crims from Changi or a bunch of IIs trying to eke out their fare to return to the place from whence they came.

The gun is well and truly smoking.



.

a new Dawn
 

For the first time BA Lert.....I agree with your post.:D

Must be something in the wind tonight.

Speaking of Hot Noxious Wind........or should I say-Stench. Darth and his bunch of cronies must be in the bunker as we speak-plotting Plan "B".

Bet he's wising he was hang'n out in his Wagga Pub with a few of his hick cow cocky mates in the West throwing back a few "quiet one's".

I like this statement in the Australian by Cox:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...1-2702,00.html

So even if it did occur it's actually the engineer's fault! :ugh: :rolleyes:

Hmmm looks like Qantas is really under the spotlight nowadays, cant even turn a trick O/S at the moment. Almost makes me sorry for GD! :{

This just backs up my thinking from an earlier post. QF were quick to deny it, but it seems that they don't know.

IF there is any truth to this story and the company said yesterday that it is an outrageous fabrication then they will have complete deniability.

At about this time they will be looking for a patsy....

Changi Chain Gang.......aka Dixons Heroes
 

Does this mean that we now refer to Changi Airport as Stalag 13?? :E :E

oh yeah!!
 

Quote: "No prisoner in Singapore has access to any Qantas aircraft undergoing heavy maintenance."

He doesnt actually deny they are used for cleaning during normal transits/overnights.

Quote
"It was quite sad really. I saw so many of them washing themselves in MEK."

I don't suppose any one told them not to breathe it or to avoid contact with it.
I know life's cheap there, but cancer's not a pleasant way to die for anyone especially if you are unaware of danger.

They should send the QF management for a day's cleaning and let them experience how the rest of the world lives

Could you point me in the direction of information that might link cancer to exposure to MEK?

Thanks,


K

This link doesn't seem to mention cancer specifically but it sounds like nasty stuff anyway.

http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-pr...nce_id=78-93-3

How about the other direction..

============================================================ ===============
Health Hazard Data
============================================================ ===============
LD50-LC50 Mixture: TLV: 200 PPM
Route Of Entry - Inhalation: YES
Route Of Entry - Skin: YES
Route Of Entry - Ingestion: YES
Health Haz Acute And Chronic: EYES: SEVERLY IRRITATING. IF NOT REMOVED
PROMPTLY, MAY RESULT IN PERMANENT DAMAGE. SKIN: PROLONGED CONTACT MAY
IRRITATE AND CAUSE DERMITITIS. INHALATION: VAPORS ARE IRRITATING TO
RESPIRATORY TRACT AND MAY AFFECT THE CNS. INGESTION: LIQUID ASPIRATED INTO
THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DURING INGESTION MAY CAUSE PULMONARY EDEMA.
Carcinogenicity - NTP: NO
Carcinogenicity - IARC: NO
Carcinogenicity - OSHA: NO
Explanation Carcinogenicity: THE COMPONENTS OF THIS PRODUCT HAVE NOT SHOWN
ANY EVIDENCE OF BEING CARCINOGENIC.
Signs/Symptoms Of Overexp: INHALATION: MAY CASUE HEADACHE AND DIZZINESS.
Med Cond Aggravated By Exp: NONE SPECIFIED BY MANUFACTURER.
Emergency/First Aid Proc: EYES: FLUSH WITH LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER. GET
MEDICAL ATTENTION. SKIN: REMOVE CONTAMINATED CLOTHING. WASH AREA WITH SOAP
AND WATER. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION IF IRRITATION PERSISTS. INHALATION: REMOVE
DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. KEEP AT REST. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION.

It also seems to vary between manufactures MSDSs. One I saw indicated birth defects were possible of the sort that may increase the risk of certain cancers. (Evidence was from lab rats).

Education is king. Any educated person smelling MEK and seeing how well it cleans would be very weary of it.

http://www.temarry.com/MSDS/Methyl_E...etone_msds.htm
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m4628.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teratogen
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/teratogenic

Actually that's what I was subtly hinting at ;)

Although we all heard the stories (as apprentices I guess)about cancer and MEK, I have never been able to confirm it through any literature.

As a chemical, of course, it needs to be treated with respect as per the MSDS, but MEK being a prolific carcinogen, with the sort of exposure that happens in the hangar, frankly seems to be an Aviation urban legend.


K