Your National Negotiating Team (NNT) met with some of the Jetstar management negotiating team on 4th March 2013 to try and get some clarity about where our bargaining is up to and also how the recent Qantas Group announcements will impact upon us.
It was extremely disappointing that NO senior Jetstar operational manager attended the meeting and that the delivery of the news about our bargaining was left to an outside industrial relations consultant.
It appears that Jetstar wants an indefinite wage freeze from staff and the shadow of redundancies also hangs over the company – though no one could tell us which parts of Jetstar would be affected or when.
What do we know?
We were told that Jetstar wants a wage freeze until the whole Qantas Group comes back into profit – there is no definite date being proposed but commentators have said August 2017 is a realistic time. Your NNT tried to get the Jetstar negotiators to explain why Jetstar which has bargained separately is not treated separately particularly when we understand Jetstar domestically has made a half year profit. No one understands whey Jetstar ASU members have to bear the loss for Jetstar international which the bosses even admit Jetstar does not control.
Unfortunately it appears senior Jetstar management are too frightened to front your NNT to explain the position, preferring to send paid consultants to ask front line, predominantly part time staff on modest base rates of pay to forgo a meagre pay rise.
No one could tell us the fate of our other EBA claims like part time conversions etc. Your NNT do not believe that this is the way to treat loyal Jetstar frontline staff.
You cannot ask people to freeze their wages which means their families bear the losses without someone in authority explaining to our National Negotiating Team how it has come to this.
We have raised this affront directly with Alan Joyce as clearly the 2 Jetstar CEO's don't care and don't want to take any responsibility.
What's next?
We have another meeting with the Jetstar negotiators on 13th March 2014. At the meeting we want to get more details on Jetstar plans and what they are exactly putting in relation to our EBA negotiations. We then plan to consult with members.
If you have queries or questions contact your ASU organisers/NNT member [download the full bulletin below for details].
Jetstar EBA 5 Bulletin - 6 March 2014