QF Engineers set to strike !

[Reggie]

Talks aim to avert UK airport chaos

If the dispute has not been resolved by then, the airport group will reportedly draw up contingency plans so that essential work can be carried out during the first strike, but all flights will be grounded.

Talks aim to avert UK airport chaos

 

[JohnK]

Yes, you are right. I did read JohnK's post to mean that to strike over loss of super scheme is laughable.

That is exactly what I meant. But even more laughable is they are striking for potential future employees.

And yes I am saving for my own retirement and do not expect anyone to hand me a pension when I retire.

 

[baswitzer]

Did Dixon get more than 5% after stuffing up over the Airline Partners Australia deal? I bet you he did. Dixon is the greatest scare merchant the aviation world has ever seen. If ever there was a man for the political times in terms of security issues it has to be Dixon.

Good luck to the Engineers. They are hardly the most militant people in the world so for them to be considering a strike it must be serious!

Qantas have had this coming for a while. Year after year their employees have shown wage restraint on the basis of the Dixon 'scare campaign'. Now someone looks like they will call his bluff.

By the way 3% is just around inflation so the employees dont make a cent out of the QF offer. And when you have a mortgage to pay an extra 1% in super aint going to cut it.

 

[Platy]

And yes I am saving for my own retirement and do not expect anyone to hand me pension to take care of me when I retire.

Whereas it is fantastic to save and take personal responsibility for retirement, surely when people are receiving super as part of their salary package, they are not getting something for nothing - aren't they working for it?

Presumably you earn some sort of income to be able to make those savings for your own retirement?

If you are in a salaried position presumably you are receiving at least 9% of your wage as super contributions as per Australian law?

Even if you are self employed, surely you are legally obliged to make those payments in to a super fund (unless of course you are living off dividend payments and avoiding paying yourself a salary)?

If you were living and working in the UK surely you would need either to have a super contribution from your employer OR have sufficient income to be able to afford to make those savings to supplement the (very) basic state pension?

Presumbly you would be very reluctant for your employer to lower your pay or just not bother to make the super payments you are entitled to?

A friend of mine working as a PT in the local gym is being ripped off since the gym owners are failing to pay compulsory super payments - should she fight for that part of her rightful salary package or keep quiet in case she loses her job?

Presumably (whether you personally like unions or not) it is their mission to protect basic salary components of all members within the ambit of the local laws and thus unsurprising that they would be concerned about removal of pension contributions from salary packages?

This is especially true since some companies break the law and cheat their present and past employees by raiding their accrued/accruing corporate pension funds (think Robert Maxwell).

Having said all of that, I am rather glad that I have no immediate travel plans either on QF or to the UK!

 

[Platy]

Qantas have had this coming for a while. Year after year their employees have shown wage restraint on the basis of the Dixon 'scare campaign'.

...and the great and delicious irony is that it was the Dixon scaremongering, which was part and parcel of under-valuing the company during the failed takeover bid and thus indirectly lost him his tiny little bonus of >$100 million if the bid had gone through (PART of which, BUT only PART he pledged to charity to hide the fact he was going to make a mocha!)

..if I was that incompetent I would be sacked, not get a $2 million pay rise!

 

[Commuter]

Talks aim to avert UK airport chaos

If the dispute has not been resolved by then, the airport group will reportedly draw up contingency plans so that essential work can be carried out during the first strike, but all flights will be grounded.

Talks aim to avert UK airport chaos

Hehehe, so handling flights aren't exactly essential to airports then

 

[JohnK]

Presumably you earn some sort of income to be able to make those savings for your own retirement?

I have in the past.

If you are in a salaried position presumably you are receiving at least 9% of your wage as super contributions as per Australian law?

Compulsory superannuation has been accruing in my super account(s) since it became compulsory in 1992 up until 2005. I calculate that I will have around $200,000, if I am lucky, when I retire. I don't think this will go very far.

Even if you are self employed, surely you are legally obliged to make those payments in to a super fund (unless of course you are living off dividend payments and avoiding paying yourself a salary)?

I have been self employed for the last 2 years and according to my accountant I am not required to pay any money into my super fund. I can make better use of the 9% then the super funds anyway.

 

[simongr]

I had an interesting chat with someone who actually works at QF in engineering over Christmas re the strikes. The devil really is in the detail. As per the info above there are AMEs and LAMEs - the AMEs can still do the work - it just can't be signed off. Also the LAMEs are not stopping working - just working to rule - no overtime etc.

 

[Platy]

I can make better use of the 9% then the super funds anyway.

Yes, indeed, so can I, but then my long term financial future is secure through fortunate family circumstance and I would rather be sure of meeting current expenses (mortgage, etc). Being self employed doesn't avoid having to meet the compulsory super contributions, to the best of my knowledge, which is partly why I am happy to pay myself dividends rather than salary from my company and enjoy the tax (franking) credits come tax time!

Everyday folk on employment contracts may have less room to move with their finances and thus need to protect their lot as best they can.

 

[Platy]

I had an interesting chat with someone who actually works at QF in engineering over Christmas re the strikes. The devil really is in the detail. As per the info above there are AMEs and LAMEs - the AMEs can still do the work - it just can't be signed off. Also the LAMEs are not stopping working - just working to rule - no overtime etc.

...so scare campaign versus scare campaign???!

 

[baswitzer]

If Qantas cannot manage its schedules without overtime then it shows that it is chronically understaffed.

 

[Dave Noble]

If Qantas cannot manage its schedules without overtime then it shows that it is chronically understaffed.

I would agree there, but the information provided didnt necessarily imply that that was the case; if the "LAME"s are still working albeit not prepared to do any OT ( which is fair enough ) but others are on strike, it may not be possible for the remaining working staff to do everything;

if QF are relying normally on people being prepared to work overtime, then absolutely, that is a dire state

Dave

 

[straitman]

If Qantas cannot manage its schedules without overtime then it shows that it is chronically understaffed.

Without specific knowledge of this situation I have to say it is quite normal in Australia for LAME's & AME's to work overtime and as such it becomes an expectation.

The real reason for this is a cronic shortage of LAME's & AME's throughout all levels of the aviation industry in Oz. As I posted in post #35 'All the good ones have jobs :!:'

 

[Keith009]

As for BAA strikes - the first strike for the 07JAN has been cancelled, the rest of the strikes will depend on the outcome of a ballot amongst union members regarding a deal the Unite union has negotiated with BAA:

BBC NEWS | Business | First UK airport strike is halted

 

[Reggie]

As for BAA strikes - the first strike for the 07JAN has been cancelled, the rest of the strikes will depend on the outcome of a ballot amongst union members regarding a deal the Unite union has negotiated with BAA:

BBC NEWS | Business | First UK airport strike is halted

This will make my colleagues feel better.

 

[littl_flier]

An article from today's Australian.

Strike could ground Qantas

QANTAS has ruled out importing temporary skilled workers on 457 visas to break the effect of a looming holiday season strike by 1700 Qantas maintenance workers.

The national carrier's decision to confine its search for replacement workers to the already-stretched local labour market came after new Immigration Minister Chris Evans issued a stern warning that the Labor Government would not tolerate the temporary skilled migration scheme being used to undermine local industrial actions.

The moves have increased the likelihood that Qantas will be temporarily grounded on Wednesday when its licensed engineers - who are required to sign the aircraft out each day and approve any maintenance work - start four-hour rolling stoppages and overtime bans over a pay dispute.

Strike could ground Qantas | The Australian

and Qantas may have to retract leave cancellations

e-Travel Blackboard: Australia's Number One Industry Newsletter

 

[Keith009]

Last-ditch talks in Qantas peace bid | The Australian

QANTAS management and the airline's engineers will hold 11th-hour talks today in an attempt to avert industrial action next week but hopes of a settlement remain slim.

If no agreement is reached, rolling stoppages will begin next Wednesday.


Although both sides agree the public is unlikely to see a big impact initially, the risk of delays and of some planes being temporarily grounded will increase as the dispute drags on.

 

[Reggie]

Trying not to be selfish, I hope I'll be right for my flights next Tuwsday and Saturday, and it looks as though I will. I hope everyone else is not effected to any major degree.

 

[jeauger]

as a retired LAME my experience is that not once did i recieve a pay increase with out threatning to take industrial action, as for overtime working an extra shift of 8 hours after a 8 hour night shift was the norm at least once a week, aircrew hours are regulated i had hoped that before i retired LAME hours would also be regulated to ensure a safer regime but overtime is cheaper than employing extra staff.

 

[Commuter]

It's (unfortunately) natural for commercial entities to want to get the maximum out of their workforces, but as I see it, it is the government's responsibility in the case like aviation to regulate effectively so as to ensure that safety is not compromised (such as CASA regulating pilots' working hours through CAO 48). Therefore from my perspective it is government/CASA's failings that LAME/AME (and cabin crew) working hours are not regulated. I am well aware that LAME/AME hours are not regulated by most (if not all?) NAAs but it still does not make it right.

The sooner they recognise the safety-critical nature of the LAME/AMEs work and regulate their working hours properly, the better, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.