Ansett unions extend security deadline
 

18:53 AEDST Wed 23 Jan 2002. .AAP . . . . . . . .Ansett unions extend security deadline

Would-be Ansett owner Tesna Holdings has been given another two days to secure $240 million in workers' entitlements or risk losing union support for the sale deal.

Under an enterprise bargaining agreement signed with five key unions last month, Tesna agreed to have the entitlements secured by January 23.

The guarantee has proven more expensive than first thought and Tesna has had difficulty getting security together.

Unions insist a verbal commitment is not enough and have urged their 4,000 members who were offered jobs with the new airline against signing on until the guarantee is there.

Their stance has forced Tesna to extend its deadline for accepting positions until Friday.

. . . . . .An ACTU spokesman said a meeting of key Ansett unions agreed to extend their deadline after ACTU advocate Richard Watts assured members negotiations were progressing.

Unions insist the money be secured if Tesna want them to support the sale when it seeks approval from creditors at a meeting on January 29.

. .Meanwhile Tesna also refused to confirm whether Ansett's 2.7 million frequent flyers would benefit under its new Global Rewards scheme.

A Tesna spokesman said the company was preparing a completely new frequent flyer program and could not promise that points from the former Ansett Global Rewards scheme would be included in any way.

He said Tesna was "acutely aware of the sensitivity of the situation for the administration".

However Tesna staff were focussed on preparing for private ownership of the airline and had not finalised details of the new program.

All the company could promise was that a frequent flyer program was part of the plans, he said.

"It is in the final design stages and we are focussing on the program offerings not the timing of when it will be announced," he said.

While Tesna recognised Global Rewards members of the former Ansett Australia were potentially very valuable customers, it was unable to say whether points from the old system would be valid under the new program, the spokesman said.

He said Ansett administrators had been "speculating" last year when they released reports indicating the new program would allow Global Rewards members to recoup a percentage of points if they flew with the new airline.

"The new program is a completely different program," he said.

. . ©AAP 2001

Okay, so has it been confirmed? Are we to accept or decline the offers??? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

What happens if TESNA do not repond to the ACTU, and the people with current job offers are then directed (by the ACTU) to refuse the offer?

Does the ACTU really believe that they would be supported?. .For every ONE that refuses, THREE are waiting in the wings.

This "game" was over before it began, and IF the ACTU tries to play it any further, it'll end up with serious egg on its face!

Hey Buster, on behalf of the 300 in line behind you, reject the offer, some of them need a job!

Any news?

Here is my response to "The Job Offer". .My proxy for the creditors meeting. The "x" in the box represents my vote

(1) To approve the sale of the Ansett Mainline business to Tesna for [ ] against [x]

(2) To approve the Administrators Renumeration.. . for [ ] against [x]

(3) To adjourn the meeting for up to 60 days. . for [ ] against [x]

(4) To resolve that notices of further meetings be way of newspaper ads and on websites. . for [x] against [ ]

Before anyone says 5 cents in the dollar is better than nothing all I can say is that after 4 Months of trading insolvently at a loss of in excess of $25 Million Dollars, and the Administrators fees of around $50 Million (as reported in the press) so far I have had enough.. .I am still waiting for my redundancy payout.

Hey Austin

You've got my vote - they couldn't organise a root in a brothel. Why do you think TJ left?

Taking the money before there's nothing left....

"With thousands of votes pouring in"??. .It took me hours to send a Fax to them (over 500 attempts) before my computer got through. They have solved the problem by installing two additional Fax lines, in their dreams! <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Accept it is then.

Whatever you do, if you are a"lucky" one like me, DO NOT RESIGN! It's all because of the Superannuation that's being fought over. Sign the acceptance & nothing else.

reportfurther

It is a requirement to provide attribution to a news item if you post one.

That is the only way I will tolerate it and that the readers can separate personal comments from a news report.

Any items not treated so will be deleted.

Sat "Herald Sun". .<a href="http://www.newsdirectory.com/go/?f=&r=oc&u=www.heraldsun.com.au" target="_blank">http://www.newsdirectory.com/go/?f=&r=oc&u=www.heraldsun.com.au</a>

TESNA and the ACTU are yet to finalise an agreement to protect entitlements for the new Ansett's 4000 workers.

Approval of the Fox-Lew deal still hinges on settlement of a deal to protect $220 million of workers' entitlements.

. .The ACTU hopes to finalise the agreement on Monday.

- with MARK PHILLIPS and KAREN COLLIER