The ALAEA’s 2010 Federal Conference has concluded successfully and I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from members who attended, saying it was a fantastic opportunity to meet LAMEs from around Australia and discuss crucial issues facing aviation today and into the future.
 
We had a total of 70 member delegates including executive members attend the federal conference, representing a real cross-section of our industry including General Aviation, Regional airlines and Mainline RPT.
 
We also had 15 guests attend the conference from across the aviation industry and the union movement; they included Transport Workers Union (TWU) National Secretary Tony Sheldon, Flight Attendants Association (FAAA Domestic) National Secretary Jo Anne Davidson and Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) President Barry Jackson, AIPA Vice President Richard Woodward and international guest Secretary General Aircraft Engineers International (AEI) Fred Bruggeman from whom we received an in-depth briefing on the state of regulatory changes and adaptation in Europe.

CASA CEO John McCormick and CASA Regulatory Manager Nick Ward both presented and along with Fred fielded questions from member delegates for nearly two hours on the changes facing our industry here in Australia and what has resulted overseas.  All are to be congratulated for readiness and openness regarding issues that will have a direct effect on all our aviation lives.  Ian Hampson made a presentation regarding the creation and progress of the Viability of Aircraft Maintenance in Australia an independent study on what Aviation means to the Australian bottom line and Kerry Garland presented the results of her study into the LAME and their environment which provided some excellent insights.

Other sessions over the three-day conference covered a diverse range of topics including union organising strategies, enterprise bargaining, OH&S workplace safety and the importance of the relationship between the licenced professionals of the industry, the aircraft engineers and pilots.
 
The ALAEA, TWU and FAA agreed to form the Aviation Unions Federation, an alliance that recognises the shared challenges our unions face and agrees to work together to strengthen the aviation industry and protect the conditions of aviation workers, we also received a commitment from AIPA President Barry Jackson that he will be requesting the AIPA CoM that AIPA join the AUF.
 
Federal Conference is an invaluable opportunity for us to get together and canvas the topical issues of the day as well as setting the agenda for our union over the next four years.  While we are always busy doing the day to day negotiating and industrial work of a union it’s also important to keep an eye on the big picture. We identified regulatory changes, company engagement of their employees, outsourcing and offshoring, union assets and their use as key issues to focus on in the next four years.
 
Thanks to everyone who took part and I look forward to following up with you in the months ahead as we turn the discussions at conference into action.

PAUL COUSINS
Federal President        

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2009 Conference a Success