Article: Qantas job cuts may colour talks

[Yada Yada]

Qantas job cuts may colour talks
By Scott Rochfort, Sydney - January 12, 2006

The deteriorating relations between Qantas and its maintenance workers will come under further strain today when the airline sits down with unions to discuss a new enterprise bargaining agreement.

The talks come amid warnings from the carrier that it will need to slash the costs of its Australian maintenance operations or outsource the work and send thousands of jobs overseas.

More here...

A strike could be very handy for O7!

 

[JohnK]

A strike could be very handy for O7!

They need all the help they can get.

 

[Yada Yada]

A strike could be very handy for O7!

They need all the help they can get.

That's right. Could be just the boost they need.

You up very late, JohnK, or not in SYD at present?

 

[JohnK]

You up very late, JohnK, or not in SYD at present?

SYD, but still in holiday mode.

Trying to research my options for Hong Kong at Easter.

 

[Yada Yada]

Here is another news item on the same issue:

Unions to resist Qantas pay cuts
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer - January 13, 2006

QANTAS maintenance unions have put to management proposals to cut engineering costs without sending work overseas.

Unions say they will not accept cuts to pay or conditions, despite the company's threats to outsource work and send thousands of jobs offshore if it can't get the cuts it wants in enterprise bargaining negotiations.

Union officials believe there are other ways to improve the efficiency of Qantas maintenance and say they have put a series of proposals on the table.

Full story here. QF states that China is under consideration for maintenance.

 

[JohnK]

QF states that China is under consideration for maintenance.

Wouldn't transporting aircraft to China still cost money in fuel and crew costs. They may also be able to save maintenance costs but I am not convinced that Chinese goods or services are on par with what is on offer here or elsewhere. Just because something is cheaper does not make it better. In this situation safety is my number 1 concern and I am not convinced that China could deliver with the current safety standards that are in place in Australia.

I may be naive but it would also require additional resources rotating international aircraft. They are discussing 14 flights per week to China and I cannot imagine that these would be Qantas's better aircraft so at certain times premium aircraft (eg ones that fly to LHR or LAX) would somehow end up flying to China for maintenance.

 

[Yada Yada]

Yes, it's hard to fathom how it would work. I wonder if this is just a big lever to break the will of the Australian unions and workers?

 

[Yada Yada]

Here is the latest news story on this topic:

Qantas to do battle with workers
By Scott Rochfort - February 7, 2006

UP TO 2100 Qantas maintenance workers are poised to go on a war footing this morning, when the national carrier resumes enterprise bargaining talks with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and Australian Workers Union.

Qantas is expected to anger workers by pressing on with its claim to slash overtime pay - a move the AWU's national secretary, Bill Shorten, recently warned could result in a 30 per cent pay cut for maintenance workers.

More...

 

[NM]

Overtime pay? What is that?

 

[Yada Yada]

Overtime pay? What is that?

That is what you and I miss out on when we work nights, weekends, on planes and in hotels. :wink:

I can't really complain, but it would be interesting to tally up all the extra hours I put in each week and see what my real hourly rate works out to be!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

join the no overtime pay club

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I can't really complain, but it would be interesting to tally up all the extra hours I put in each week and see what my real hourly rate works out to be!

I did that once - it was too depressing so I've never done it again

 

[NM]

I can't really complain, but it would be interesting to tally up all the extra hours I put in each week and see what my real hourly rate works out to be!

An hourly rate ... now that is an interesting concept

 

[JohnK]

I can't really complain, but it would be interesting to tally up all the extra hours I put in each week and see what my real hourly rate works out to be!

An hourly rate ... now that is an interesting concept

Yes very interesting.

It is called contracting.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Not all contractors are paid hourly rates.

 

[serfty]

Not all contractors are paid hourly rates.

Yes, a term often employed is "Professional Work Day". :?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I wasnt think of that either.

Some are agreed rates based on milestones achieved. Can be very good or very bad for the contractor depending on how good they negotiated.

 

[JohnK]

Not all contractors are paid hourly rates.

Sorry.

I should have mentioned I invoice to the nearest 1/4 hour.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

You cant be a lawyer then - !@#$s charge by the 6 minutes :roll:

 

[JohnK]

Not a lawyer. I am what I am .