Even without the Jetstar job, it's a loser-pay system
Scott Rochfort
July 14, 2006
THE no-frills Qantas subsidiary Jetstar has mastered the art of cost-cutting to the point that it is charging would-be international flight attendants $89 for a job interview. And that does not cover the cost of the medical that follows if the interview is a success.
Four months before the launch of Jetstar International services to Asia, the airline has also refused to rule out becoming the first Qantas subsidiary to embrace the Howard Government's new industrial relations laws.
A Jetstar spokesman, Simon Westaway, said the airline had already received 1000 "expressions of interest" for the 240 long-haul crew jobs being offered.
Although the jobs were advertised last weekend, Mr Westaway said Jetstar was yet to decide what work agreements the crews would be on.
While Jetstar's domestic arm is negotiating a collective agreement with its 550 crew, there are suspicions the airline could bypass unions and draft its own Australian workplace agreements for its long-haul crews.
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