Qantas London base
Join Date: Dec 2003
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pucci dream on,
i know. I Know. I know.
Um, ah. Cause they are not self serving narcistic
"people"?
L2P "S.T.R."
P.S. 480 now is it?
Gee the numbers are getting more rubbery every day!!
i know. I Know. I know.
Um, ah. Cause they are not self serving narcistic
"people"?
L2P "S.T.R."
P.S. 480 now is it?
Gee the numbers are getting more rubbery every day!!
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Adrift upon the tides of fate
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Qtee
Central question. Why, indeed, would they? Well, perhaps they like their job, and don't want to destroy it's working conditions. Not just for others, but purely from a self-interest perspective; you do your 2 years, then come back to .............what? The job will be a lot less attractive. L/H will be the SYD-CBR run, by then. The o/s bases will have flourished; the "Spirit of Australia"
will have Indian staff flying from every single port outside of oz.
How you think you'll last 2 years is beyond me. They are offering subsistence pay, so it'll be beans-on-toast-and-watch-the-B&W telly on your days off. You PR people really need to shelve your envy and get out more. The UK is expensive!
Pucci.
That old management chestnut about unions and fees. Love it! All it does is to show the dichotomy of the argument; the mangement is slashing and burning... wait for it.... not because they think it's the right thing to do , they do it for the money! The union reps, who volunteer their time, fight the fight because they believe it's the right thing to do . The union is the staff.
By all means, keep using that argument!
As for self-interest; if you want to work o/s, then quit and go and work o/s. You want your cake, and to eat it too. If you really were a flying staff member, would you crave that o/s life? Sounds like envy, to me. If you are genuine, what makes the QF apron strings so strong? Think about that, before you do a hatchet job on those very strings.
How is it that QF can just call flying L/H or S/H? Is the EBA that weak? Sounds like you need to get unified and get the gloves on. The leverage they are using on you shouldn't exist.
Why would people pass up that opportunity?
will have Indian staff flying from every single port outside of oz.How you think you'll last 2 years is beyond me. They are offering subsistence pay, so it'll be beans-on-toast-and-watch-the-B&W telly on your days off. You PR people really need to shelve your envy and get out more. The UK is expensive!
Pucci.
That old management chestnut about unions and fees. Love it! All it does is to show the dichotomy of the argument; the mangement is slashing and burning... wait for it.... not because they think it's the right thing to do , they do it for the money! The union reps, who volunteer their time, fight the fight because they believe it's the right thing to do . The union is the staff.
By all means, keep using that argument!
As for self-interest; if you want to work o/s, then quit and go and work o/s. You want your cake, and to eat it too. If you really were a flying staff member, would you crave that o/s life? Sounds like envy, to me. If you are genuine, what makes the QF apron strings so strong? Think about that, before you do a hatchet job on those very strings.
How is it that QF can just call flying L/H or S/H? Is the EBA that weak? Sounds like you need to get unified and get the gloves on. The leverage they are using on you shouldn't exist.
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Qantas to call crew bluff on 'sick-out'
Wed "The Australian"
Qantas to call crew bluff on 'sick-out'
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
October 13, 2004
QANTAS has warned it will use doctors to test international flight attendants who call in ill during "sick-outs" designed to disrupt flights next month.
In the latest twist in an increasingly bitter dispute, an unofficial campaign is calling on long-haul flight attendants to take a sickie on November 17 to protest plans by the airline to send jobs overseas.
A Qantas plan to base 400 long-haul flight attendants in London has already brought increasing threats of strike action over the busy Christmas holidays.
The airline says it has received more than 200 applications from Australian crew wanting to work in London.
But relations with the international flight attendants union soured amid accusations that the airline is training more than 500 flight attendants and employing them on short-term contracts as strike-breakers.
Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg said yesterday the airline was aware of a "sick-out" rumour but said the airline found it extremely difficult to believe any of its staff would contemplate such an action.
"In the event that something like that did occur, Qantas, as it has in the past, would take all steps necessary to ensure that the interests of its customers, and the vast bulk of Qantas staff not participating in such action, were protected," he said.
Mr Gregg confirmed that his plan included the use of medical staff at its bases to ensure it could quickly prove that a flight attendant was genuinely sick.
The Flight Attendants Association of Australia said it was aware of the sickie call, which appeared to be gaining momentum, but denied being behind it.
FAAA international division secretary Michael Mijatov said a survey of members last week showed the distrust and anger that were fuelling the call.
Mr Mijatov said the survey showed 87 per cent of respondents had no, or minimal, trust in the company.
"We also asked whether they were prepared to take strike action ... and about 96 to 97 per cent said they were prepared to take strike action," he said.
The union is poised to start enterprise bargaining negotiations the week after next, but is prevented from taking industrial action until mid-December.
It also intends to lodge a dispute with the Australian Industrial Relations Commission over the use of the fixed-term flight attendants.
The carrier argues that no jobs would be lost, existing crew were being given priority in filling the London positions and the move would save $18million annually.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon told staff in a memo yesterday that the company had made significant concessions in negotiations with the FAAA.
These included an offer to reinstate a cap on overseas-based crew at a level that would allow the London base to proceed and a guarantee no redundancies would result from operating or opening overseas bases.
Mr Dixon described the strike-breaker claims as emotive, but admitted the airline had a longstanding policy of maintaining contingency plans against "business threats".
"The bottom line is we have to guarantee that our customers' travel plans are not disrupted and that our customers are not lost to competitors," he said.
============================================
Qantas to call crew bluff on 'sick-out'
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
October 13, 2004
QANTAS has warned it will use doctors to test international flight attendants who call in ill during "sick-outs" designed to disrupt flights next month.
In the latest twist in an increasingly bitter dispute, an unofficial campaign is calling on long-haul flight attendants to take a sickie on November 17 to protest plans by the airline to send jobs overseas.
A Qantas plan to base 400 long-haul flight attendants in London has already brought increasing threats of strike action over the busy Christmas holidays.
The airline says it has received more than 200 applications from Australian crew wanting to work in London.
But relations with the international flight attendants union soured amid accusations that the airline is training more than 500 flight attendants and employing them on short-term contracts as strike-breakers.
Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg said yesterday the airline was aware of a "sick-out" rumour but said the airline found it extremely difficult to believe any of its staff would contemplate such an action.
"In the event that something like that did occur, Qantas, as it has in the past, would take all steps necessary to ensure that the interests of its customers, and the vast bulk of Qantas staff not participating in such action, were protected," he said.
Mr Gregg confirmed that his plan included the use of medical staff at its bases to ensure it could quickly prove that a flight attendant was genuinely sick.
The Flight Attendants Association of Australia said it was aware of the sickie call, which appeared to be gaining momentum, but denied being behind it.
FAAA international division secretary Michael Mijatov said a survey of members last week showed the distrust and anger that were fuelling the call.
Mr Mijatov said the survey showed 87 per cent of respondents had no, or minimal, trust in the company.
"We also asked whether they were prepared to take strike action ... and about 96 to 97 per cent said they were prepared to take strike action," he said.
The union is poised to start enterprise bargaining negotiations the week after next, but is prevented from taking industrial action until mid-December.
It also intends to lodge a dispute with the Australian Industrial Relations Commission over the use of the fixed-term flight attendants.
The carrier argues that no jobs would be lost, existing crew were being given priority in filling the London positions and the move would save $18million annually.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon told staff in a memo yesterday that the company had made significant concessions in negotiations with the FAAA.
These included an offer to reinstate a cap on overseas-based crew at a level that would allow the London base to proceed and a guarantee no redundancies would result from operating or opening overseas bases.
Mr Dixon described the strike-breaker claims as emotive, but admitted the airline had a longstanding policy of maintaining contingency plans against "business threats".
"The bottom line is we have to guarantee that our customers' travel plans are not disrupted and that our customers are not lost to competitors," he said.
============================================
Join Date: May 2004
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"In the event that something like that did occur, Qantas, as it has in the past, would take all steps necessary to ensure that the interests of its customers, and the vast bulk of Qantas staff not participating in such action, were protected," he said.
Good luck - I am thinking of you guys! I hope this turns out in a peaceful resolution for the majority (whatever that may be)....
But to be honest, given recent profit announcements and requested director salary increases, I have to agree with the STR campaign - how about a bit of recognition for the front liners? $1000 pre-tax hardly makes the cut....
Anyway its time I went to bed, waaaay to much to drink tonight!
Join Date: Oct 2004
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I'm still very intersted in how other FAAA members will view us if Q--tee, L2P and myself take up the London Base offer.
Last week I flew with a port swapper from Perth. He told me that one of the PER based CSSs had decided to go to London. When he rang the SYD union office he was lucky enough to get FAAA Divisional President, Steven Reed on the phone.
When he informed Steven that he was taking up the London offer, the President said he would kick this f/as butt up & down Oxford St if he ever met him.
As a result of this phone call, the CSS resigned from the the union immediately.
Now what I want to know - is this going to be official FAAA policy to all those members who elect to go to London,
or was Steven just having a bad hair day?
Last week I flew with a port swapper from Perth. He told me that one of the PER based CSSs had decided to go to London. When he rang the SYD union office he was lucky enough to get FAAA Divisional President, Steven Reed on the phone.
When he informed Steven that he was taking up the London offer, the President said he would kick this f/as butt up & down Oxford St if he ever met him.
As a result of this phone call, the CSS resigned from the the union immediately.
Now what I want to know - is this going to be official FAAA policy to all those members who elect to go to London,
or was Steven just having a bad hair day?
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Expected Response!
Huge Slant
First it would be prudent not to include others in your plans without their consent..ie L2P.
Second why on earth would anyone ring the FAAA and tell anyone there they are going to LHR?The current negotiations are becoming somewhat heated,so some clown ringing the Association with that sort of information received the appropriate response.
BTW any news from your Aunty Lesley?
First it would be prudent not to include others in your plans without their consent..ie L2P.
Second why on earth would anyone ring the FAAA and tell anyone there they are going to LHR?The current negotiations are becoming somewhat heated,so some clown ringing the Association with that sort of information received the appropriate response.
BTW any news from your Aunty Lesley?
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Ferris
My profund apologies - I am obviously labouring under a misconception - I seriously thought the Union reps got paid for their union work - volunteers!! - well that is admirable!
My profund apologies - I am obviously labouring under a misconception - I seriously thought the Union reps got paid for their union work - volunteers!! - well that is admirable!
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Pucci Poochy
It actually costs union reps money....reduced flying,lost allowances.Not to mention the enormous amount of time and effort they put in.They are to be commended for their dedication.
gone where?
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Hugh Grant
please check your private messages.
Oh and L2P
congrats darling, your first post that didnt involve hatred, abuse, nastiness or threats .... maybe the valium suggestion worked for you ..... dont take too much though darl, as non-aggressive as that post was, it made no sense whatsoever
please check your private messages.
Oh and L2P
congrats darling, your first post that didnt involve hatred, abuse, nastiness or threats .... maybe the valium suggestion worked for you ..... dont take too much though darl, as non-aggressive as that post was, it made no sense whatsoever
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Q-Tee,
Did you find your tube map yet Dharl...?
If so take a look at the blue line, piccadilly. Find Heathrow then look for Hounslow. Its not far from Heathrow and the only place you will be able to afford on the pay being offered by Qantas.
I lived there for 24 years.........very different from being in a plush hotel with allowances in your pocket.
Good luck, can't wait for you to go.
Screw The Roo
Did you find your tube map yet Dharl...?
If so take a look at the blue line, piccadilly. Find Heathrow then look for Hounslow. Its not far from Heathrow and the only place you will be able to afford on the pay being offered by Qantas.
I lived there for 24 years.........very different from being in a plush hotel with allowances in your pocket.
Good luck, can't wait for you to go.
Screw The Roo
Last edited by str; 14th Oct 2004 at 00:45.
Join Date: Oct 2004
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root the roo
you say you lived in LHR for 24 years, well bully for you!
why do you now deny this opportunity to those of us who wish to take up the london base offer for 2 years. whats it got to do with you?
you say you lived in LHR for 24 years, well bully for you!
why do you now deny this opportunity to those of us who wish to take up the london base offer for 2 years. whats it got to do with you?
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Str
As I have previously stated, Kensington is where I will be living, it is all arranged! What possible interest would you have in where people going to London live? Or the salary? You arent going so to quote the funniest line I have heard for a while
"STR - you know your beeswax? Well mind it!!!"
I am sure all of us going are fully aware of the salary, and are obviously quite happy with it, or we wouldnt be going now would we?
As I have previously stated, Kensington is where I will be living, it is all arranged! What possible interest would you have in where people going to London live? Or the salary? You arent going so to quote the funniest line I have heard for a while
"STR - you know your beeswax? Well mind it!!!"
I am sure all of us going are fully aware of the salary, and are obviously quite happy with it, or we wouldnt be going now would we?
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HG - Because you are eroding the salary and conditions of employment for people who choose not to go.
Management are greedy, lying pigs and you are playing straight into their plans.
It will be interesting if any of you have jobs worth coming back to in two years time.
Q-Tee, maybe the Cross would be a better place for you to live. You might earn a few extra quid around there.
Management are greedy, lying pigs and you are playing straight into their plans.
It will be interesting if any of you have jobs worth coming back to in two years time.
Q-Tee, maybe the Cross would be a better place for you to live. You might earn a few extra quid around there.
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lhr
Seriously....do you guys really think for one moment that LHR isnt going to happen???
For gods sake...wake up. To once again quote Borgetti.... "as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow morning, LHR base is going to happen"
Since it looks like a sure thing isn't it better that QF Aussie crew go there and fill the spots?? I would think thats a better option rather than filling it with UK locals. Why abuse the guys who are going...if they dont take the spots then its just going to be filled by a pom!
I think its a fantastic opportunity...i wish i was going now! Good luck to those heading off there early next year!
For gods sake...wake up. To once again quote Borgetti.... "as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow morning, LHR base is going to happen"
Since it looks like a sure thing isn't it better that QF Aussie crew go there and fill the spots?? I would think thats a better option rather than filling it with UK locals. Why abuse the guys who are going...if they dont take the spots then its just going to be filled by a pom!
I think its a fantastic opportunity...i wish i was going now! Good luck to those heading off there early next year!
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I would just like to clear up one minor misunderstanding.
I am not Lesley Grant's nephew!
Its just that last week I was watching the movie Bridget Jones' Diary and there was this great line,
"I want to develop a posh voice and a bad character"
And I said to myself, Hugh, I want to go to Notting Hill & find that blue door and shop at Portabello Rd markets in my stand down time.
Actually, I've been practising darts and skulling pints of Kilkenny ever since Geoff announced the base opening.
Hey Q--Tee may I please borrow your tube map once you've finished with it?
I am not Lesley Grant's nephew!
Its just that last week I was watching the movie Bridget Jones' Diary and there was this great line,
"I want to develop a posh voice and a bad character"
And I said to myself, Hugh, I want to go to Notting Hill & find that blue door and shop at Portabello Rd markets in my stand down time.
Actually, I've been practising darts and skulling pints of Kilkenny ever since Geoff announced the base opening.
Hey Q--Tee may I please borrow your tube map once you've finished with it?
Last edited by hugh grant; 15th Oct 2004 at 23:35.