QF reaches agreement with FAs,

[drron]

It appears that one Union has come aboard.

As

baggage handlers and other ground crew called off - at the 11th hour - a nationwide strike planned for today, Qantas has agreed to a 3 per cent annual wage rise over the three-year life of the new contract for members of the Flight Attendants Association of Australia's domestic division.
The deal for short-haul cabin crew also includes a $500 lump sum each year.
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The flight attendants will still need to vote on the new contract late this month but the in-principle deal will be a relief for Qantas executives who are facing an increasingly acrimonious battle with three unions representing licensed aircraft engineers, long-haul pilots and ground crew.

Read more: One down, three to go for Qantas

 

[medhead]

How dare those evil FAs get 3% and $500 per year! That must be like a 57% payrise! Union thuggery!

 

[dfcatch]

How dare those evil FAs get 3% and $500 per year! That must be like a 57% payrise! Union thuggery!

Sounds reasonable to me

 

[milehighclub]

Wouldn't quite say 1 down, more like 3 and a half.

The new agreement is only for short haul. Long haul start their negotiations next month for when their current agreement expires at the end of next year.

 

[dfcatch]

Wouldn't quite say 1 down, more like 3 and a half.

The new agreement is only for short haul. Long haul start their negotiations next month for when their current agreement expires at the end of next year.

Are A380 crews covered by a separate agreement again?

 

[milehighclub]

Are A380 crews covered by a separate agreement again?

The long haul agreement has two parts. Part 1 covers "Qantas" crew and part 2 covers "QCCA".

Although 99.9% of QCCA crew work on the A380, they do not make up the total number of A380 trained crew. Part 1 Qantas crew work under part 2 QCCA conditions when working on the A380 for 2 year periods (or longer if they extend).

The only difference for a part 1 member working on the A380 under part 2 is the pay. They get a top up to make their salary similar to what they would be getting under part 1.

There are also short haul crew working on the A380 who come over for 2 year periods (also longer if they extend). They get the top up as well.

 

[dfcatch]

The long haul agreement has two parts. Part 1 covers "Qantas" crew and part 2 covers "QCCA".

Although 99.9% of QCCA crew work on the A380, they do not make up the total number of A380 trained crew. Part 1 Qantas crew work under part 2 QCCA conditions when working on the A380 for 2 year periods (or longer if they extend).

The only difference for a part 1 member working on the A380 under part 2 is the pay. They get a top up to make their salary similar to what they would be getting under part 1.

There are also short haul crew working on the A380 who come over for 2 year periods (also longer if they extend). They get the top up as well.

So (in simplistic terms) if I understand it correctly, the A380 crews (QCCA) get less than Part 1 crew?

I have found the A380 crews to be the happiest, most enthusiastic of any of the long-haul crews I've experienced over the last cpl of years.

I had a chat with one of the CSM's early this year and complimented the crew, and he mentioned that they "stick to the A380 as part of 2 year agreements" in response to my question of whether they were a special crew or if they rotated with the 744.

 

[milehighclub]

Yeah it gets a bit complicated.

To put it simply and taking aircraft out of the equation - QCCA crew earn less than Qantas crew.

Putting the aircraft back into it - everyone on the A380 works under QCCA work rules, but are not necessarily employed by QCCA (although majority are).

 

[dfcatch]

Yeah it gets a bit complicated.

To put it simply and taking aircraft out of the equation - QCCA crew earn less than Qantas crew.

Putting the aircraft back into it - everyone on the A380 works under QCCA work rules, but are not necessarily employed by QCCA (although majority are).

Got you.

Thanks for clarifying

 

[holdenvxman]

They are effectively getting a pay decrease because CPI is higher then 3%

 

[browski]

From what I gather, most of the conflict between the unions and Qantas Mgt is not about pay. It is about if their jobs will be there in 24 months. Qantas mgt won't agree to this guarantee because it seems they are ready to cull thousands of them and replace them with cheaper Asian staff, based in Asia.

 

[JamesP]

Thats grea news for QF. hopefully they can resolve there other EBA's quickly to mitigate any negative PR!

 

[browski]

Probably too late for that. The Qantas name is mud. I mean, would you book a Business flight with QF in the next 3 months and have confidence your flight will go ahead?

 

[Justchecking]

So (in simplistic terms)

I have found the A380 crews to be the happiest, most enthusiastic of any of the long-haul crews I've experienced over the last cpl of years.

that's because the vast majority of a380 crew are relatively new, they were hired in 2008. None of the crew on a 747 would be new since all QCCA crew (the new hires) were only trained on a380. It
is a job where you can overstay your welcome and become jaded.

 

[milehighclub]

that's because the vast majority of a380 crew are relatively new, they were hired in 2008. None of the crew on a 747 would be new since all QCCA crew (the new hires) were only trained on a380.

Not quite correct. QCCA started well before the A380 arrived (but with the intention to have the crew on it) and flew on the main fleet before the A380 came. In fact 3 years later the last of the QCCA crew have only just moved over from the 747.

Most of the crew that started at QCCA were actually already Qantas, just in other divisons. Some where ex Auckland base, and the biggest amount of crew came from MAM (Domestic casual). So there was a lot of experience at the start. There are also a lot of ex Australian Airlines and Ansett crew too.

So while QCCA may have been a new company, that didn't mean an influx of people with no experience in flying. There is a lot of flying experience in QCCA. Of course, there are new crew "off the street" and this is their first flying job.

 

[samiam]

They are effectively getting a pay decrease because CPI is higher then 3%

How do you calculate a 3% wage increase as an effective salary decrease, with annual CPI (as at the June quarter) sitting at 3.6%?

I'm interested in the science behind the calculation, or whether it's an opinion.

 

[lovestotravel]

How do you calculate a 3% wage increase as an effective salary decrease, with annual CPI (as at the June quarter) sitting at 3.6%?

I'm interested in the science behind the calculation, or whether it's an opinion.

Notice the 0.6% difference

 

[samiam]

Notice the 0.6% difference

Yes - do you have a point regarding that?

 

[medhead]

Yes - do you have a point regarding that?

Well without getting into precise technical details, CPI is measure of the rate of increase in the cost of living. At the end of the June quarter annual CPI was 3.6% so cost of living increased 0.6% more than the wage increase (yes, I know it isn't that simple, but just talking in general terms here). So the purchasing power of their pay has decreased relatively speaking.

 

[dfcatch]

Yes - do you have a point regarding that?

I'm confused by your question.

Medhead's explanation is a good basic one. But I'm assuming you already understood that bit..??