Qantas - Some food for thought....

[Ash W]

Paul why do staff have to move offshore to keep their jobs? If the workforce could reform into a more competitive outfit there is no reason why the bulk of the jobs couldn't stay on shore. Afterall Virgin Aus and Jetstar are mainly onshore operations with mostly Aussie staff and are both competative.

Though if I were a Qantas employee the question I would be asking is do I want a job or no job at all? Unfortunately if things keep going the way they are the latter will be the case.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by chris d

Ash W: If you were on a wage of say $49,000 a year, and I proposed that you needed to be more competitive, by doing the same job for $25,000 per year and giving up leave entitlements - would you feel quite annoyed by that? I'd think that most people would pack up and find a job elsewhere.

Who said anything about massive pay cuts? I know I didn't. I was talking about reforming the organisation and work practices, nothing to do with pay, two different things I am afraid.

Though since you brought up pay, why for example is it ok find for someone at company Q) to be payed $49,000 to do the same job as an employee at company V) who is getting payed $25,00. Is the employee of company Q over payed or is the employee in company V underpayed, or a bit of both?

Now put yourself in the shoes of company Q how do you compete with company V? Remembering that brand and customer loyalty will only take you so far.

Then add into the equation international ops, who does company Q compete with Asian carriers with cheap labour and gulf airlines that operate in tax havens?

[James S.]

Originally Posted by Anthony T

I equate the current situation at QANTAS to be like that as an elderly reletive in a nursing home.

It had a great life from birth thru childhood and adolescence into a mature adult, but now after 90 odd years it is getting past it, it is currently in pallative care by the loyal employees, QANTAS will soon be gone, and replaced by those younger than itself, but it had a great life and will always be remembered.

There is probably nothing now that can stop the terminal decline, it's sad but face the facts, it's probably all over, and there is nothing more that can be done. :-(

I really REALLY hope this does not happen.

Come on QANTAS, pull your socks up.

[Raymond Rowe]

Why do you recon joyce was put there.It was not to build up Qantas.look at where his grass roots are.Qantas will be gone as domestic carrier and Jetstar will be built up.Thus payoing staff at half the rate they are now

[Greg McDonald]

I remember a thread from some time ago on this board (or the old board maybe) where people were discussing the fact that, at that time, it was starting to look like Qantas would morf into Jetstar then disappear all together. Scarily that looks like a lot closer to the truth than anyone really thought!!

[Montague S]

Originally Posted by Ash W

Also wrong to say the brand value drives the share price. What drives share price is the return on investment and at what risk. In the current market with Qantas not able to re-invent itself, the return is low due to high costs and high competition levels, meaning low fares and low to no return to shareholder with high risk.

and AJ is in a race to the bottom...

[Jon Harris]

so true Montague - a very fast race indeed.

[Kelvin R]

So then what is the alternative? That's what I would like to hear from the Unions. What is the Union plan to turn QF around and enable it to compete on a global platform?

It is very easy to launch personal attacks on the CEO and to start polls, claim misinformation and to complain about "management" getting huge bonuses but how about offering an alternative?

Given that deregulation and free market policy are here to stay and given that QF cannot compete on a fair basis with overseas carriers what is the plan from the Unions then to keep their members in gainful employment? Surely a healthy vibrant, growing Qantas only delivers healthy, vibrant, growing Unions?

Also, given the membership base the Unions should be in the best position to identify potential changes within Qantas and to work with Qantas in creating changes to enable Qantas to better compete. Examples would be to use international Union contacts to help Qantas gain fair access to overseas markets such as additional EU ports or to lobby the AU government to enable Qantas to have the same depreciation rates on capital equipment enjoyed by overseas carriers, to lobby the AU government to reform air services and to reform airport pricing, customs and immigration charges and remove other unfair costs (like the air movement cap at Sydney airport). I am sure there are many other costs within Qantas that the Union would be aware off.

So what is the alternative plan on offer?

[Ray P.]

As always there are three sides to this story; what the Unions say, what QF Management says...and then there's the truth.

[Ash W]

Kelvin, notice that no one had replied to your very spot on post. I wonder if that is because it is easy to complain and blame management then it is to do some sole searching and come up with answers. Or maybe it could well be there is no alternative.