re: 2.60 dollars next airport Dogfight over Qantas UK pay * *...

re: 2.60 dollars next airport Dogfight over Qantas UK pay

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Base load: Qantas cabin crew in Britain want more money.

Base load: Qantas cabin crew in Britain want more money.
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Scott Rochfort, Sydney
June 8, 2006

IT WAS designed to save Qantas $18 million a year. But the cost of a 400-strong flight attendant crew base in London is rising.

Qantas is facing growing disharmony with its British flight attendants, who are unhappy that they are paid 20 per cent less than their British Airways counterparts.

The British crews are also unhappy Qantas is offering the 200 Australian flight attendants seconded to the London base early last year $10,000 a year to stay until 2008.

Morale among Australian flight attendants in London — who receive an estimated £24,000 annual package ($A60,000) — is said to be rock-bottom because of the cost of living in London. While the Australian crews are paid slightly more to work in London, they have to work more hours.

One source said some Australian crew commuted to work from mainland Europe to reduce accommodation costs.

The union that represents Qantas' British flight attendants, Amicus, declined to comment. But it is believed its members at the base have rejected a 9 per cent pay rise over three years.

Qantas will send a team of industrial relations negotiators to London to hold further talks with Amicus.

Qantas' head of customer service Lesley Grant described the wage negotiations as "a normal process, given the contract expires next year".

"No forced offer has been made to any (Australian) crew to stay beyond their allotted time," Ms Grant said.

The tensions come as Qantas plans to cut 325 of its 4000 long-haul cabin crew jobs in Australia.

There is growing concern in unions over Qantas plans to boost the role of its low-cost subsidiaries such as Jetstar while slashing higher-paid "mainline" jobs.

Meanwhile, Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon has criticised the pilots union's attempts to have all Jetstar and Qantas pilots on the same agreement.

The Australian and International Pilots Association is resisting Qantas' plans to set up lower-paying contracts for Jetstar International, which will launch long-haul flights in November.