Thread: QANTAS fleet grounded

I own and operate a tour bus company on the Gold Coast, and this disruption has already cost me hundreds of dollars in extra costs.
I had three group arrivals into Brisbane tonight, and its just kaos.
I do believe that Qantas had no choice but to act in this regard, but l do think 12 or 24 hours notice would be prudent to at least provide people with some reasonable notice.
Then they would have at least had the option to make alternate arrangements.
I have group arrivals over the next few days, and simply don't know what is going to happen??
Hopefully some resolution will take place over the next day or so, to simply save Qantas, the travelling public, and Australian Tourism as a whole.

Brings back memories of the wharfies dispute, call me cynical, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was a political move designed to drive a wedge between the unions and the federal government. The CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, would not make the move of grounding his airline without some high powered people covering his back. Stand by for an early election. Bob

Originally Posted by strangy

Many will. They stay because they are Australian , their families are here etc and Qantas is based in Australia.
Many people have better opportunities in this regard overseas, but don't pursue these for the above reasons and others.

So you stop the Airline to prove how big your jewels are and teach those who keep you in business a lesson?
If Qantas can't afford to pay their staff now it won't matter anyway. If the airline isn't viable it is just matter of time.

Cheers

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

So they're the best paid airline workers in Australia then?? Airlines are a globalised industry, they aren't a CFMEU worksite competing against only local resources, they are competing in a global market which has become increasingly deregulated in this country, meaning operators who can base their maintenance operations overseas, and pay their pilots less are able to make inroads here in the Australian market because the consumer only wants the cheapest they can get.

It would be an interesting comparison with Tiger.
Tiger Airlines is solely owned by a Singapore consortium.
As a super budget airline, wonder how they pay their employees?
The maint cost must be similar or is it??
Have not seen any industrial action taken against them??

Thoughts ???

Really easy to criticise the unions and employees. Ask yourself this would you be happy to take a pay cut and reductions in working conditions to pacify a demanding public? Would you be happy not to be able to get a pay rise in line with inflation? Would you be happy to watch your CEO get a 70% payrise for destroying the company and you get nothing and then the company cry poor?
I would think not.
Remember this is just not about money but jobs going offshore.
Airfares have been ridiculously cheap for some time now and that is great for us consumers, but should not be used as a tool to erode employees standards of living.
Ye I think there are better ways of dealing with essential services disputes like this, but until there is a honest and credible independent tribunal to assess these claims, nothing will change.
IMHO it is QANTAS executives that are at fault as they will not negotiate and this has been highlighted enough times, but they can then go and throw millions of $ at advertising campaigns to try and belittle the employees.
I am not pro or anti union as I used to be a shop steward and hate militant unions with a passion, but I believe in the right to withdraw labor when negotiations break down.
They are at least fighting for real reasons.
Anyone remember the 80's and early 90's when miners would strike for wrong flavoured ice cream, only having 3 main course choices in the messes etc etc.
Minimum pay rises without negotiation should be set at CPI, no iffs and butts or we are headed to a US system of working poor, if we are not already there.
Think about your kids and grand kids, would you not like a good standard of living for them? Or are you happy for them to become working poor.

Originally Posted by CraigE

Really easy to criticise the unions and employees. Ask yourself this would you be happy to take a pay cut and reductions in working conditions to pacify a demanding public?

The demanding public are who pays their wage through airfares!!! If you don't satisfy them you don't have a job.

My understanding was the executive had agreed to CPI increases and pay rises but would not budge on gradings ie all pilots wanting the same pay regardless of the type of aircraft they were flying which equated to around a 30-40k increase in some instances, and job security clauses that no industry in aus can offer.

Pilots aren't doing it tough, the demands are way above market rates on the global scale it is greed pure and simple. They are already paid better than allot of their counterparts and wanted to hold the company to ransom.

Originally Posted by stuee

The demanding public are who pays their wage through airfares!!! If you don't satisfy them you don't have a job.

Agree, no one has asked them to take a pay cut. They have a choice accept what's on the table and help the business remain viable or get a payrose and for e the company to shut up shop it's an easy choice for me - I'll take the modest pay rise and still have a job in 12 months time thanks.