Qantas Grounds Entire Fleet

[Bugeyeandy]

Eric Mc said:

Sorry son.

Thanks.

[randomwalk]

My partner is booked on a BA/Qantas flight on Thursday, last lef from Perth to Sydney is Qantas so hopefully all sorted by then.

I know Qantas has been losing on its international operations and this has been behind the boards descion (not just Joyce's) to force the hand of the unions. By grounding all aircraft I wonder if that means they still have to pay staff wages? If wages are still being paid the daily costs must be enormous and losses exacerbated with no revenue coming in.

[Bugeyeandy]

Hope it works out ok for your partner, reading various press releases it seems they are staying grounded until at least lunch time Monday (1am GMT).

From what I've read any members of staff who are members of the main three unions involved will not be paid and have been locked out. Regardless of this it will be costing a stupendous amount of money every day.

[voyds9]

Bugeyeandy said:

Nope but on the same point I don't believe that the Unions (who look after workers interests) should sit back and do nothing.

Please also if you quote me, have the decency to quote my whole post not just pick out bits.

What do you think the Unions should do?

I believe the Union has a duty to do the best for their members, unfortunately the Unions often think this means the most money for the least work.

I often feel that workers get the Unions they deserve.

[7mike]

eharding said:

Willie Walsh, Michael O'Leary and Alan Joyce - all products of Trinity College Dublin, and not that far apart, either.

I wonder if there was something in the water there that caused a tendency to become an airline CEO?

Or (seeing as I'm bored and feel like dreaming up a conspiracy theory) is this all part of a pact they made a long time ago to conquer the airline world? One starts an airline whilst his mates systematically wipe out the competition from within?

I mentioned my theory to Helmut O'finnegan, incoming CEO of lufthansa, and he reckons it's bks

[motomk]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-31/terminate-ac...

[Slaav]

willmcc said:

This is a completely outrageous decision, to completely ruin PAYING CUSTOMERS travel plans in order to try to provoke the govt to solving an ongoing dispute is utterly cavalier and unforgivable. And people will not forget.

He has also completely misread the nation,s mood on this, people do not want their jobs outsourced to asia and awarding himself a 1.9 million dollar pay raise the day before he takes down an Australian icon will not go down well.

Would not be surprised if this turns out to be a monumental cockup .

It would be possible (bar minor tweaking) to quote this post about any STRIKE! Especially London Underground/RMT to55ers, BA militants and the like. And not aimed at the bosses

:Beer:

[Mojooo]

So does that mean the unions can never take action again?

[Eric Mc]

7mike said:

Or (seeing as I'm bored and feel like dreaming up a conspiracy theory) is this all part of a pact they made a long time ago to conquer the airline world? One starts an airline whilst his mates systematically wipe out the competition from within?

I mentioned my theory to Helmut O'finnegan, incoming CEO of lufthansa, and he reckons it's bks

Is he gay?

[Eric Mc]

Just been ordered by the Australian courts to get back in the air.

[CDP]

Eric Mc said:

Just been ordered by the Australian courts to get back in the air.

But who would want to fly on an airline under those circumstances, let alone buy a ticket from them?

[Pommygranite]

CDP said:

But who would want to fly on an airline under those circumstances, let alone buy a ticket from them?

If you live in oz there's very little choice and if you've ever flown Virgin and Jetstar here you'd still go Qantas

[Eric Mc]

CDP said:

Eric Mc said:

Just been ordered by the Australian courts to get back in the air.

But who would want to fly on an airline under those circumstances, let alone buy a ticket from them?

If you've already booked a flight or are stranded somehwere because the airline is grounded, uou'll fly with anyone to get where you need to go.

[Olf]

It can only be bad news for the consumer. A whole airline full of pissed off and surly staff - and that was before this happened!

[dmulally]

I worked for Qantas for six months last year. I have never seen a more shoddy company in my life. I was in the IT area and the CONSTANT threat of mass sackings was everywhere. You could smell the fear. Mainly because most everyone there knew they did nothing anyway. I was a 3rd party consultant and it was impossible to get anyone to make a decision or even turn up to a meeting as they had to leave early to get their kids or were working from home etc.

There are several groups in Qantas and the only one I really remember fondly is Qantas Engineering. QE are modelled on Rootes group in Scotland circa 1975. What the fk the unions had to do with IT decisions I have no idea, but nothing happened without their say so. Actually, nothing happened.

Those who did a good job there had nothing to fear. Those who did fk all went to union meetings and lived in perpetual fear that they would be found out for what they are. Never did it occur to them that if they wanted more money they could get another job. Never did it occur that the job pays what it pays and there would be 50 people to step into their shoes should they stick it to the boss man and quit.

The only consumers who are affected are the ones affected currently. Going forward it is no great loss. There are enough carriers in Australia to pick up the slack. Carriers that have young good looking trolly dollys and not Ethel Muttonlamb in bad lighting. The media here seem to be hedging their bets before taking sides but its an awkward situation at best. The prime minister Julia Gillard is where she is because of her love affair (literally at times) with the unions.

Personally, if Qantas shut shop tomorrow I would fking love it. I feel sorry for those stranded but those fking baggage handlers can feel proud they have shut down a national icon all because they are too lazy to get another job that better suits their financial desires. It's a business. Not day care for adults. s.

[Nicholas Blair]

Pal worked in Qantas Engineering at Mascot up until a couple of months back, pretty senior role. Yes, he got a good enough payout and he'd rather have a job where his skills are utilised. It's the fact the the skills are now no longer there with their engineering going to China, which I've heard some stories about

[Johnboy Mac]

dmulally said:

I worked for Qantas for six months last year. I have never seen a more shoddy company in my life. I was in the IT area and the CONSTANT threat of mass sackings was everywhere. You could smell the fear. Mainly because most everyone there knew they did nothing anyway. I was a 3rd party consultant and it was impossible to get anyone to make a decision or even turn up to a meeting as they had to leave early to get their kids or were working from home etc.

There are several groups in Qantas and the only one I really remember fondly is Qantas Engineering. QE are modelled on Rootes group in Scotland circa 1975. What the fk the unions had to do with IT decisions I have no idea, but nothing happened without their say so. Actually, nothing happened.

Those who did a good job there had nothing to fear. Those who did fk all went to union meetings and lived in perpetual fear that they would be found out for what they are. Never did it occur to them that if they wanted more money they could get another job. Never did it occur that the job pays what it pays and there would be 50 people to step into their shoes should they stick it to the boss man and quit.

The only consumers who are affected are the ones affected currently. Going forward it is no great loss. There are enough carriers in Australia to pick up the slack. Carriers that have young good looking trolly dollys and not Ethel Muttonlamb in bad lighting. The media here seem to be hedging their bets before taking sides but its an awkward situation at best. The prime minister Julia Gillard is where she is because of her love affair (literally at times) with the unions.

Personally, if Qantas shut shop tomorrow I would fking love it. I feel sorry for those stranded but those fking baggage handlers can feel proud they have shut down a national icon all because they are too lazy to get another job that better suits their financial desires. It's a business. Not day care for adults. s.

Aer Lingus all over.

[King Herald]

Olf said:

It's a shocker for sure. Industrial relations in Aus are straight out of 70's Britain and probably heading for the same confrontations.

I worked offshore in Oz several times, around ten years ago, and their seaman's union has everybody by the balls. You can do nothing without their say so, and foreign vessels have to use Ozzy union marine crew on any vessel that wants to work in their waters.

My company has pulled boats off contracts down there due to the complete sheer bloody-minded ignorance and arrogance of the Ozzy seaman's union!

Strange, but every union spokesman or 'shop steward' I met down there was a Brit. Probably left the UK when Maggie did her thing.

[dmulally]

King Herald said:

Strange, but every union spokesman or 'shop steward' I met down there was a Brit. Probably left the UK when Maggie did her thing.

That is true of my experience now you come to mention it. Interesting.