| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Tuttles Almanac" |
| Date: |
16 Mar 2006 09:06:25 AM |
| Object: |
Australian Unions Fight Job Offshoring |
Qantas threatened by worker revolt
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18490308%255E23349,00.html
QANTAS could still face industrial action from
maintenance workers, despite its decision not
to send their jobs overseas.
Unions remain unhappy about the airline's decision
to axe 480 jobs in Sydney and close down the long-haul
heavy maintenance base there.
High fuel prices and a global change in the way airlines
do their maintenance had led the airline to consider sending
at least 2500 jobs offshore. But after months of saying it
would be forced to make hard choices if it could not get
cost cuts of 15 to 20 per cent from workers, the airline
opted for the internal restructure with reviews against
"global benchmarks" next year and in 2008.
Chief executive Geoff Dixon has denied that the decision
to retain the jobs in Australia was in any way related to
the Government's workplace reform legislation.
He said last week that moving the work overseas would
have produced bigger savings overall but a successful
Australian restructuring had the benefit of significant
savings while preserving a much desired skills base in
this country.
However, he refused to rule out sending jobs offshore
if the restructure failed to meet the global benchmarks.
Mr Cameron said the airline had still to provide details
of how it arrived at the benchmarking. He said Mr Dixon
had agreed to provide the detail but a presentation
earlier this week had not been detailed. "It was simply
generalities and the argument was that the benchmarks
were simply commercial in confidence," Mr Cameron said.
The AMWU's unhappiness is mirrored at the Australian
Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, which stands
to lose 227 jobs in the restructure.
It says the decision will wipe out the equivalent of
4000 man-years of heavy maintenance experience at the
airline.
Union officials met Qantas executives yesterday to put
an alternative proposal that would save jobs by boosting
efficiency and productivity.
It was told bluntly that the decision made on Sydney
maintenance would not be reversed.
Qantas also faces legal action in Federal Court today
from pilots attempting to stop a deal with Jetstar
which they believe will undercut wages and conditions.
Mr Dixon also wrote to the pilots this week warning them
that high oil prices meant change in the airline would
accelerate and they were not immune.
_____________________________________________________
Optus says 450 jobs must go:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/optus-says-450-jobs-must-go/2006/03/16/1142098601090.html
OPTUS will slash 450 jobs across the country in a bid to cut costs
amid union fears that positions will be outsourced to India.
Communication Workers Union spokesman Colin Cooper warned the
company from shifting jobs offshore.
"We see the situation similar to the one confronting Telstra," he said.
Telstra announced plans in November to cut 12,000 jobs,
or almost a quarter of its total workforce, over five years.
She also refused to rule out further job cuts, saying only
that Optus would "continue to look at the business".
Australian shares of Optus' parent, Singapore Telecommunications,
rose 2 cents or about 0.9 per cent to a record close yesterday of $2.28.
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