Merged: QANTAS/ALAEA EBA

[NAS1801]

From news.com.au

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/...014090,00.html

Qantas engineers poised to strike

May 08, 2008 08:14am

QANTAS maintenance engineers are poised to endorse industrial action in a secret ballot closing today, clearing the way for a legally protected strike campaign from May 14.

The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) alleges Qantas has already signed up strikebreakers on six-month contracts worth $100,000.

ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas said he was confident the ballot would be approved, which may lead to strikes lasting two days.

"We're not going to exercise the right of 48-hours stoppages unless Qantas escalates the dispute" Mr Purvinas told Fairfax newspapers.

"If they start locking out employees all over the country then we may consider taking this action in support."

The union has about 1600 members at Qantas and they have to authorise whether a plane is safe to fly.

The ALAEA is pushing for a new enterprise agreement that includes pay rises of five per cent a year rather than the airline's standard pay offer of three per cent plus an extra one per cent in superannuation.

Qantas general manager Kevin Brown said the aviation industry was facing challenges from rising fuel prices and greater competition.

"They (the ALAEA) are making an opportunistic grab for cash, a grab for money," Mr Brown told Fairfax.

"We are not going to accede to their demands, no matter what threats they put in place".

"We have made some alternative arrangements, the details of which are our business".

[blubak]

Grab For Cash

Maybe the individual accusing the alaea of making a grab for cash should disclose by how many percent his salary has increased by for the past 3 years.
If it is more than 3% a year for the past 3 years then he would probably be guilty of making a grab for cash as well!
While we are on the subject of disclosing information,where or to who has the interest accumulated on our money(owed to us since jan 1 2007) been paid to??

[Bolty McBolt]

They (the ALAEA) are making an opportunistic grab for cash, a grab for money," Mr Brown told Fairfax.

Hello kettle this is the pot. I very much agree with blubak's comments. The arrogance of Mr Brown whom is the head of personnel, obviously knows no bounds.

Levity removed

[Acute Instinct]

In Response, Mr Brown

1. "They (the ALAEA) are making an opportunistic grab for cash, a grab for money," Mr Brown told Fairfax.

2. "We are not going to accede to their demands, no matter what threats they put in place".

3. "We have made some alternative arrangements, the details of which are our business".

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr Brown,

In response,

1. We are negotiating. This is a business transaction where leverage is applied to further your cause. Its about levering for a fair and just outcome.

2. These are not threats. They are legally sanctioned promises.

3. Alternative arrangements that reflect your business. Even the companies unfair advantage of knowing the ALAEA's options, is not a deterrant. Regardless of the imaginative approach, it will only be a matter of time. Concede or be knocked out.

[ALAEA Fed Sec]

"They (the ALAEA) are making an opportunistic grab for cash, a grab for money," Mr Brown told Fairfax

I honestly think this guy believes what he is saying guys. When the reporters call you, they ask lots of questions and you have no idea what will go to print. I wonder if his next words went something like this -

How dare they abuse their position by trying to take more from this airline to feed their families when I can't even make ends meet on my multi-million dollar package?

[Torqueman]

Well said.

Get the pride back.

It's time folks.

[beachhead]

If I earn $100 and the company gives me a 5% wage rise I have $105.

Let's be realistic and see things from QE's view, ...If we get 10%, every other union will want 10%. That's the reason they've painted themselves into the 3% corner.

But if I earn $100, and I get a 3% wage rise and $2 added to my..Umm..call it a level-bonus, I now have $105 and the company gave us 3%.

And for sweeteners they can take away the caps and "training" points !

Who cares how it's sliced and diced, as long as it's 5% ?

And we're not going to be conned by fancy maths, 5% is $5 on every dollar we earn, as long as it's in the bank who cares how its labeled ?

Spanner Twister

Couldn't agree more S.T. If they are not prepared to budge on the up front 3% but your balance sheet totals correctly why be pigheaded about it.

[wanty]

When we win the vote tomorrow a decision has to be made as to where to throw the pi#$up. I suggest GD's bar in sydney,rumour has it there's a
5% discount tomorrow on presentation of QF ID.

PS Thought I'd throw this in for QF managers reading the forum.

You might need this shortly,just slot in the 5% in the right field ok.

http://mycareer.com.au/consumer/feat...alculator.aspx


.

[LAMEA380]

Hello comrades, as per my last post I said I would not post to after the ballot

This is a very good outcome, you have all been painted into a corner

There is no exit, and very soon you will see your pay packets diminishing,

Geat stuff , looks like the broom will finally sweep clean and those that want to work and are happy with their wages and to be working for the best airline in the world will finally take a step up the ladder.

Those of you that are gloating will soon see that your bravado means nothing, you cannot win, repeat you cannot win this

let the fun begin

I also think the Fed Sec would be better refraining from comments such as his last one, silly comments from a leader who should be refraining from childish comments that will no doubt ensure that the position of senior QF leaders will never change, so much for tactile and strategic leadership, reminds me of a song, goes something like this......true colours shining through

[Anulus Filler]

LAMEA380 out of hibernation. TROLL alert.

*****PLEASE IGNORE*****

[employes perspective]

Kevin Brown ranted off the same rubbish in the AME's dispute in 01-02,and guess what,the company lost the dispute in the end,not only that ,the cost was estimated at the 10's on millions in aircraft down times and delayed maintenance.
That dispute took a while due to the position in the company that the AME's held(nook on effect was longer),this however is different ,the company will feel the effect straight away,and they will come begging,it will not take long,the LAME's just have to stop being tight arses for a change and hold firm>YOU WILL WIN THIS EASILY<
A380 you don't have time for sitting on the internet,your arse is about to be hanging out trying to sign off all these aircraft on you very own.Make sure you cross all your T's and dot your I's,because all this extra money you think you will be making will be needed to defend yourself in the courts.

[sickofqf]

Well boys, this is it.........and the A380's arrival which is going to stretch things harder is only 2.5 months away...........how embarrassing if the damn thing sits on the fence as soon as it gets here because the REAL engineers aren't prepared to bail out the pen-pusher,night shift avoiding,a-licks........


....and remember, they ain't going to sack you like some would have you believe...because then they'd have to take you back on more pay like the budget arm of QF............


Hmmm, 95k to 105k....yep 11% pay rise............and they won't pay 5% so why would they want to pay 11?? it's all bull-dust, bluster and hope on their behalf!!!!

Game on....lets roll.......

[LAMEA380]

hey sickof you fool, you wouldnt have a clue, you should be very carefull using names, you see... if you are wrong.... which you are.... you could get yourself into a spot of bother.

I look foward to taking your job soon

[employes perspective]

IS THAT THE BEST YOU HAVE a380

[dr skydrol]

Mr d what did you mean on the Sunday Show when you said "This management has done more for this airline than any bloody union ever has". are you talking about the hundreds of million dollar fines for price fixing, or was it about when you and Ms J tried to sell out the shareholders and employees for your own personal gain?
You are about to find out exactly what your employees used to do for you. You and mr brown have made my blood boil
Remember this brothers THEY CANNOT TERMINATE YOUR EMPLOYMENT FOR TAKING PART IN PIA, We are not answerable to Qf but to CASA. If you see the management go outside the line report it immediately

STAY CALM
DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID
FOLLOW THE MAINT MANUALS IN EVERY WORD
FOLLOW THE PPM THATS OUR BEST WEAPON.

Look at what these fools have managed without us taking PIA. I can't wait to see them cope now. They havn't a clue.

[wanty]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-23349,00.html



He said the dispute was particularly wrong, given that oil had reached a record level and the union wanted to break a wages policy that had given Qantas double-digit growth and allowed it to invest $35 billion in new planes and increase jobs by about 10,000.


Somehow I don't recall oil being at record levels back in Jan 07 when the last eba expired.
Do recall reading in the papers though that GD's salary and share bonuses were at record levels.

[The Black Panther]

Don't muck around

As we approach the decision and I would assume the ALAEA already have plans afoot, these are my opinions.

1. Forward written apologies to all customer airlines and post a national apology in newspapers to the public for any disruptions.
2. State our situation has come about from the normal grab for a fair share of company profits, the robust position Qantas has in national and international markets and the deterioration of our wages against the rising cost of living, interest rates and day to day expenses. We believe our value and contribution to Qantas is worth more than upper management is wiling to pay.
3. These 'battles' are normal in democratic countries where 'people' are permitted to legally protest or take industrial action against 'business'.
4. The newspapers & media appear to be already siding with the union given Qantas's balance sheet and the minor pay rise compared to other pay claims by various unions and employee groups. The 4.2% inflation rate against the 5% is quiet reasonable.

Finally I would be coming out firing on all cylinders. Do not give Qantas a chance to find alternate work force or methods. 48hour Strike from 0001 on the 13th May. That where we start and we will then return with a long long lag time to fix the mess until QF comes to table.

Just hold the line brothers.

[wanty]

I agree,the knockout punch is needed from the word go.

They have had 18 months to come to the table with a decent offer and have

treated us with contempt at every opportunity.

[The Black Panther]

This is what I mean

Energex workers join industrial action

Posted Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:32pm AEST
Queensland Energex workers have joined other workers in the state's energy sector in a push for more pay and better working conditions.
About 400 workers from Ergon Energy and Powerlink have walked off the job for 24 hours today, and 590 union members at Energex have now voted to take industrial action.
Peter Simpson from the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) says employees are only being offered a 4.5 per cent pay increase, which he says is not adequate.
"They want us to trade off conditions to achieve that 4.5 per cent for all three Government Owned Corporations: Ergon, Energex and Powerlink are reading off the same script and that script's been handed to them by the Queensland State Government," he said.
Energex says their proposal is a fair pay offer and includes improvements to existing allowances and income protection.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...ction=business

[wanty]

Ballot result,read on people.


http://www.airc.gov.au/dispute/indus...a_20082975.pdf