MAM 'Contract'
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 11
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From: 20 Degrees SW of the Sea of Tranquility
MAM 'Contract'
As I understand, MAM crew have been 'awarded' ten month? contracts by QF. Well, having been there I can certainly understand the attraction of such an offer and I'm not sure I would not have taken it had I been in the same shoes.
However, ask yourselves this question. Who does this benefit. QF now have a ready made solution to crewing shortfalls and they have you reliably locked in for eight months at a lower hourly rate at that.
The month of May scared the pants off them. After sweetening the deal for MAM crew in order to ensure sufficient availability, most of you turned around and said 'stick it up your jumper'. After learning from previous experience that QF love you when they are short and dump you the second they have a downturn ie the work is not reliable even with an attractive hourly rate compared with other casual work, which is what most of you have gone out and got, realising the value in reliability.
Now think about this. If you had coordinated yourselves effectively and resolved, as a work group, that none of you would sign on for the contract work, where do you think that work would have gone?
Nowhere. It would still be there and who takes up the slack when the flying schedule is operating on all eight cylinders? You guys do. Only now you are doing the same work you would have achieved as casual crew, only at a lower hourly rate
You need to organise and coordinate yourselves and manage your 'business' with the same kind of efficiency, focus and ruthlessness that Qantas employs to manage its business.
Nobody is going to look after your interests, no, not even the FAAA, like you guys can and should.
Unfortunately, with this contract, you have been royally shafted.
However, ask yourselves this question. Who does this benefit. QF now have a ready made solution to crewing shortfalls and they have you reliably locked in for eight months at a lower hourly rate at that.
The month of May scared the pants off them. After sweetening the deal for MAM crew in order to ensure sufficient availability, most of you turned around and said 'stick it up your jumper'. After learning from previous experience that QF love you when they are short and dump you the second they have a downturn ie the work is not reliable even with an attractive hourly rate compared with other casual work, which is what most of you have gone out and got, realising the value in reliability.
Now think about this. If you had coordinated yourselves effectively and resolved, as a work group, that none of you would sign on for the contract work, where do you think that work would have gone?
Nowhere. It would still be there and who takes up the slack when the flying schedule is operating on all eight cylinders? You guys do. Only now you are doing the same work you would have achieved as casual crew, only at a lower hourly rate
You need to organise and coordinate yourselves and manage your 'business' with the same kind of efficiency, focus and ruthlessness that Qantas employs to manage its business.
Nobody is going to look after your interests, no, not even the FAAA, like you guys can and should.
Unfortunately, with this contract, you have been royally shafted.
