Of course it is silly to broadly suggest that all QAN staff are...

Of course it is silly to broadly suggest that all QAN staff are whingers. I work in the industry and talk to QAN workers on a weekly basis, they are no more or no less a cross-section of the community which is reflected in most large organisations in Australia.

Things are changing at QAN from what I can gather but relatively slowly. Some of the work practices I observe and the number of staff involved do seem somewhat out of place with other airlines and service providers.

Whilst the some of the unions there are fairly criticised on some issues there is no doubt that if the union did not exist the current management would ensure that the majority of the workforce would be 'casualised 'and with conditions similar to some of the bottom feeding companies that contract for work in the industry. No-one would really want that, these are companies that treat people with little respect and nothing other than disposable labour.

The only way forward for QAN IMO is that staff and management work together. I must say that the style of management they have had over the last 10 or so years is overpaid and has strangled the airline.

The staff will have to accept that the world has changed and hopefully decency in management will be the trait that comes through. A shame to see a once great company slowly dying.

Perhaps the airline is no longer seen by the government as a national asset - perhaps abolish the ownership laws and let the market determine its future. A sad situation from the glory days but the world has changed.

I would not touch the shares, sad to say.

Best to all