TO: ALL MEMBERS

RE: QANTASLINK DISPUTE GETS NASTIER

Members are advised that a dispute between LAMEs at Qantaslink arm Sunstate has taken a turn for the worse after management decided to fabricate excuses to dock wages on mass late last week.  Some examples of these dockings accompany this notice and include loss of pay for members who commenced duty at 0515, prepared for their day and attended their first aircraft at 0525 and were then docked 4 hours pay for taking 10 minutes to get ready.  Individuals are to be docked up to 28 hours pay for similar nonsenses.  We will now be co-ordinating a fighting fund to assist our 24 members from Brisbane.  There is no doubt that the Qantas group are using this dispute as a test bed for future mainline discussions that could eventually impact on all Aircraft Engineers working at any company.

Over the coming weeks members across as many companies as possible will be asking for voluntary donations that will form a fighting fund for our friends at Sunstate.  The collected monies will be held by the ALAEA and only distributed after approval by both ALAEA Trustees to Sunstate members who have been unfairly docked.  Post dispute the monies will be held in reserve as a general fighting fund.  A running tally of the collected funds will be distributed as per the attachment to this notice.  If you are able to assist and nobody is yet appointed to your department please contact Ted Larson at the ALAEA office who is co-ordinating the effort.  As a general guide, members may contribute as much as they are comfortable with.  It may be $20, $50 (which will be my contribution), $100 or any other amount.

To understand the full impact of these developments, you should take time to read the supporting documents attached below.  The Qantas group are well aware that recourse through the court system would take at least 6 months and in the meantime have made a conscious decision to ensure our fellow members cannot feed their families or pay their mortgages.  It is our duty to stand by them.

The majority of dockings go to instances where manpower utilised during aircraft maintenance exceeded the estimated hours.  To make an estimate prior to the knowledge of the aircraft’s defects in these instances places a financial penalty against any LAME who records defects that could lengthen the time for maintenance.  Most members will understand the full impact on safety if the Qantas group get away with this unfair activity.  As industry professionals interested in the long term future of aviation safety, it is imperative that the prospect of financial loss be taken out of the equation as Qantaslink members uphold the principles of the Civil Aviation Regulations.

Members should continue to read through the remainder of these documents and to obtain a full understanding of the arguments put by the company, a full transcript of the related court case is downloadable from the ALAEA website.  Please print out and leave around smoko rooms.  

History of the dispute

The Sunstate wage Agreement expired in June 2009 with talks for a new Agreement taking place from around that time.  Early 2010, members overwhelmingly rejected an offer because the company had sought a training bond that would apply to the 400 model of the Bombardier Dash 8.  The members were concerned that many LAMEs had already completed the training and would not be bonded whilst the 6 remaining untrained members would be subject to a bond.  Additionally they sought similar rostering arrangements to Eastern Sydney members that would deliver them a monthly RDO.

The company refused to address the bond discrepancy and rejected any claim to put in place similar rostering to Eastern Sydney.  In May a Protected Industrial Action ballot took place with all but one person voting in favour.  On the 25th June 2010, two one hour work stoppages took place and overtime bans were put in place.  Since implementation overtime bans have been on and off.  In response, Sunstate implemented an 8 hour roster to reduce shift penalties.  The roster took all 15 staff that were required for overnight maintenance between midnight and 0400 each day off night shift leaving a  four hour gap where the base was unstaffed by ALAEA LAMEs at a period where the workload was the greatest.  On most nights the work during this gap is carried out by a couple of management LAMEs.

The ALAEA has recently complained to CASA that 2 managers cannot complete the work of 15 LAMEs and presented examples of what we say is illegal maintenance.  CASA is now investigating for non-compliance.

CASA has previously issued corrective action against the company for breaches relating to maintenance practices.  The company did not comply with the corrective action.  

The company complained to Fair Work Australia and secured orders against LAMEs for taking longer than usual to complete maintenance on the aircraft.  Fair Work Australia appeared not to take into account the roster change and other matters raised by the ALAEA.  Of particular concern were claims by the company that LAMEs were raising defect reports in areas where they weren’t asked to look.  In one example, a LAME had reported numerous seat belts being worn, Sunstate said that the LAME was not required during his check to carry out a detailed cabin inspection; he was only asked to do a general inspection and should not have noticed the seat belts.

On 19th October 6 LAMEs reported that cockpit doors that are required to be bullet and grenade proof could be opened with small objects or flexing the wall.  Again they were pinged for finding defects on places they weren’t asked to look and all 6 have been stood down since late October for breaching company policy. The docking letters were delivered to members’ homes by courier around 8pm on the night of 18th November.  

To date the Sunstate LAMEs have not claimed excessive wages and have shown a willingness to settle on terms equal to their Eastern Sydney counterparts.  It appears that Qantas management have stepped up the buggery game and are trialling their new methods on hard working members working for a small arm of the group.

STEVE PURVINAS
Federal Secretary