So by your logic, aussie farmers only have themselves to blame for paying themselves too much. Best to move the farming offshore.
And the factories only have themselves to blame for paying Aussies too much; so best they move the jobs off shore.
1/ I'm not discussing the economy more widely - I'm specifically talking about IR - and specifically whether I feel the unions are in the right in their aggressive negotiation approach.
In this instance - I feel that the union is only doing their members a disservice - and ultimately, if they don't like the offer - they can leave and work elsewhere. I mean really - it's like a spoilt child, and I don't believe that holding the innocent traveling public to ransom is fair play.
If only you could move those taxi driver jobs off shore.
Last time I caught a taxi in Melbourne I was under the impression that they already had been
The union per se has no power. It consists of members, i.e. the workers who combine to have a voice. Therefore it appears you are saying the workers have too much power and their opinions should be quashed..
No - I'm talking about the union leadership. The workers are sheep. Sheep do what they're told. (And of course - if I were in their shoes I would go along with it too...) If the union leadership said "Let's accept their offer" the workers would instantly do so. Sheep with rights, sheep with desires to take home more money to feed the family, and sheep who can ultimately choose to either:
1/ Accept whatever offer QF management put before them.
2/ Reject it and work elsewhere.
3/ As stated above - industrial action that inconveniences the traveling public is not on in my opinion, wins the union (and the workers) few supporters, and comes across as spoilt brats.
For the record - I'm also a sheep, but if I don't like the results of my EBA negotiations, I can leave and find something better elsewhere. Or else I can stay and put up with it.
It is too easy to just blame the unions. If Qantas are paying excessive wages then it must be because management was too incompetent to actually manage and ensure that wages didn't become excessive.
There are several parties in this dispute and the employees are just one. It is rare that employers ever rock up and say here's a pay rise. Employees have to justify their wage increases, and in some cases fight for them.
I wonder if Qantas truly share their management strategy with their employees and tell them exactly what is going on and why they are adopting a particular position?
Surely there is a place for good faith bargaining by both sides? The employer/employee relationship will continue after this dispute, therefore it is in everyone's interest to resolve this dispute sooner rather than later.
I never said that the wages "are/were" excessive. I said (or I meant) if they were to be excessive...
I'm also not defending QF management's world-class employee engagement policies either
Yeah there is room for good faith - but IMHO the union blew it the minute they went on strike. QF is running a business, and IMHO the union's demands are unreasonable.
They fail to understand and accept the basic fact that QF want to lower their cost base and have more flexibility. And if the union won't let them do that, then QF will simply cede more routes to JQ, and shift new focuses to offshore areas etc.
The union could win the battle - but will most certainly lose the war.
Ultimately the ones who lose the most in this situation are the workers - the same sheep who in good faith went along with the promises from the union officials of the 40 virgins etc etc....(aka. job security and a higher raise).