qf SHORTHAUL cc MEALS / pAY
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qf SHORTHAUL cc MEALS / pAY
No doubt this will attract a few irate replies, and I apologise up front to those who do not do this, nor did they vote/endorse the QF Shorthaul CC eba.
As longhaul crew previously, there is generally a pecking order of meals - in that whilst no crew are meant to have remaining pax meals, it still happens, and the pecking order has been usually Capt/ F/O / S/O/ CSM / CSS /CC - per rank. Now whilst this has eroded over the years, to the point where techies were lucky if they were offered left over First/Business meals at all, longhaul it still did/does happen. (There were many L/H CSMs, CC who had courtesy).
As shorthaul crew, the level of courtesy shown to tech crew is virtually non-existant - (of course i am using a pretty broad brush to paint a group, and it really comes down to what is meant by courtesy/respect etc). Shorthaul techies are rarely offered business class meals - and usually only if cabin crew have had their fill and their are any leftover. In some cases Shorthaul CSMs have openly (and perhaps stupidly said - and the following is a direct quote from a long time shorthaul CSM) - "as you know if there are any business class meals left over we get first choice, and you can have whats left".
So given the long standing behaviour, which appears to be the norm from shorthaul CC (and I know there are exceptions to the rule), it appears surprisingly ironic, that now that the shorthaul EBA has gone through, and you have traded meals and snacks for a pay rise, that CC are now blatently asking for tech crew meals. And it is becoming more frequent.
Since your eba has gone through, I have willingly offered my snacks and crew meals to CC (on numerous occasions, in fact both of us have)when I am not hungry, generally to very little thanks in return, but it appears now that these crew meal donations are expected.
I dont mean to sound rude, but if you guys have had a pay rise and are not getting meals onboard, surely you must realise when time permits, and you are an individual who gets hungry onboard, you have to spend some of your pay rise on buying food for the flight!!! (You either bring some to work, or buy it in the terminals during turnarounds!)
As longhaul crew previously, there is generally a pecking order of meals - in that whilst no crew are meant to have remaining pax meals, it still happens, and the pecking order has been usually Capt/ F/O / S/O/ CSM / CSS /CC - per rank. Now whilst this has eroded over the years, to the point where techies were lucky if they were offered left over First/Business meals at all, longhaul it still did/does happen. (There were many L/H CSMs, CC who had courtesy).
As shorthaul crew, the level of courtesy shown to tech crew is virtually non-existant - (of course i am using a pretty broad brush to paint a group, and it really comes down to what is meant by courtesy/respect etc). Shorthaul techies are rarely offered business class meals - and usually only if cabin crew have had their fill and their are any leftover. In some cases Shorthaul CSMs have openly (and perhaps stupidly said - and the following is a direct quote from a long time shorthaul CSM) - "as you know if there are any business class meals left over we get first choice, and you can have whats left".
So given the long standing behaviour, which appears to be the norm from shorthaul CC (and I know there are exceptions to the rule), it appears surprisingly ironic, that now that the shorthaul EBA has gone through, and you have traded meals and snacks for a pay rise, that CC are now blatently asking for tech crew meals. And it is becoming more frequent.
Since your eba has gone through, I have willingly offered my snacks and crew meals to CC (on numerous occasions, in fact both of us have)when I am not hungry, generally to very little thanks in return, but it appears now that these crew meal donations are expected.
I dont mean to sound rude, but if you guys have had a pay rise and are not getting meals onboard, surely you must realise when time permits, and you are an individual who gets hungry onboard, you have to spend some of your pay rise on buying food for the flight!!! (You either bring some to work, or buy it in the terminals during turnarounds!)
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I do quite a bit of Airbus flying ex-PER and always offer the J/C dessert/cheese to the Techies at the very least (when I am working up the front ofcourse). The Tech Crew have normally eaten by the time we have finished the service. Domestically I will always offer the J/C hot if the TC have a cold brekky, and the hot refreshment in the arvo (if any left).
I think the problem re main meals lies in the fact we are catered short for cabin crew and we make up the difference with overflow - which quite often (this morning) isn't there. Do you not agree that spare J/C meals are well and truly a thing of the past? I cannot remember the last domestic duty I did where all CC had the choice of a hot meal - someone misses out all together (hot or cold) usually.
The pay rise in our EBA that you speak of didn't even cover inflation aparently so I dunno why you make the statement of bringing our own food. Besides it is a condition of our award that we are provided with a meal. The company breech this daily - hence the angst about getting our 'entitlement'. I agree with most aspects of your post but crew should be able to expect the bare minimum (a crew meal when one is to be provided) and it frequently is not being delivered by the company. Are many crew upset about the loss if the sandwich and chocolate bar on non-meal sectors? I have not heard any complaints.
Add the hotel downgrade phenomenom of SH cabin crew and you see why sometimes our colleagues get touchy about getting 'their' meal. Everyone is trying to maintain 'their' conditions, losing the 'team' aspect of it.
May I also add many younger crew (I don't wanna generalise and say "Casuals") do not have the knowledge of the allocation of meals based on seniority rank. And sadly the days of new crew picking up these unspoken rules are over. Most people are disengaged and becoming more and more self-focussed on protecting their own conditions as an individual. If you are working in J on a widebody and the CC meals are all down the back you can bet that all the crew down the back, regardless of rank/seniority have all had their own pick first. Everyone is in it for themselves - sad.
So Techies should take comfort in knowing that self centered-ness of CC means we are also screwing ourselves over. Gone are the days of the 'team', in SH anyway - it would seem. Great times...
As for cabin crew expecting TC meals - just goes to illustrate my points above. Here at SH - it's all about YOU (I mean ME).
I think the problem re main meals lies in the fact we are catered short for cabin crew and we make up the difference with overflow - which quite often (this morning) isn't there. Do you not agree that spare J/C meals are well and truly a thing of the past? I cannot remember the last domestic duty I did where all CC had the choice of a hot meal - someone misses out all together (hot or cold) usually.
The pay rise in our EBA that you speak of didn't even cover inflation aparently so I dunno why you make the statement of bringing our own food. Besides it is a condition of our award that we are provided with a meal. The company breech this daily - hence the angst about getting our 'entitlement'. I agree with most aspects of your post but crew should be able to expect the bare minimum (a crew meal when one is to be provided) and it frequently is not being delivered by the company. Are many crew upset about the loss if the sandwich and chocolate bar on non-meal sectors? I have not heard any complaints.
Add the hotel downgrade phenomenom of SH cabin crew and you see why sometimes our colleagues get touchy about getting 'their' meal. Everyone is trying to maintain 'their' conditions, losing the 'team' aspect of it.
May I also add many younger crew (I don't wanna generalise and say "Casuals") do not have the knowledge of the allocation of meals based on seniority rank. And sadly the days of new crew picking up these unspoken rules are over. Most people are disengaged and becoming more and more self-focussed on protecting their own conditions as an individual. If you are working in J on a widebody and the CC meals are all down the back you can bet that all the crew down the back, regardless of rank/seniority have all had their own pick first. Everyone is in it for themselves - sad.
So Techies should take comfort in knowing that self centered-ness of CC means we are also screwing ourselves over. Gone are the days of the 'team', in SH anyway - it would seem. Great times...
As for cabin crew expecting TC meals - just goes to illustrate my points above. Here at SH - it's all about YOU (I mean ME).
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Ditzy - we will be lucky if we even get a pay rise at all, let alone one which barely covers inflation.
Regardless of whether your eba provided for inflation (which none even remotely come close to) there was a trade off for some part of CC meals. I dont know what the particulars are, but the CC on the sectors I fly remind me of it fairly often.
I dont agree with what the company is doing (w.r.t. staff treatment), but if you voted yes, then you have to be aware of what it is you are voting for. (The longhaul techies were gulity of it when the voted their S/O mates the singapore base, so I know techies arent immune from selfish behaviour)
Sad as it may sound I have no doubt that some CC will have a go at taken the techies meals, and when the techies query it, they will be told meals weren't loaded for them at all. Sounds nasty, but given what i have seen so far, it wouldnt surprise me.
Unfortunately, as you said, it is "all about YOu/Me" as we are told, and it is going to bite someone soon.
Regardless of whether your eba provided for inflation (which none even remotely come close to) there was a trade off for some part of CC meals. I dont know what the particulars are, but the CC on the sectors I fly remind me of it fairly often.
I dont agree with what the company is doing (w.r.t. staff treatment), but if you voted yes, then you have to be aware of what it is you are voting for. (The longhaul techies were gulity of it when the voted their S/O mates the singapore base, so I know techies arent immune from selfish behaviour)
Sad as it may sound I have no doubt that some CC will have a go at taken the techies meals, and when the techies query it, they will be told meals weren't loaded for them at all. Sounds nasty, but given what i have seen so far, it wouldnt surprise me.
Unfortunately, as you said, it is "all about YOu/Me" as we are told, and it is going to bite someone soon.
