Bossdog,As posted;QANTAS S/O 80k-140K F/0 120-180K CAP...

Bossdog,


As posted;

QANTAS S/O 80k-140K
F/0 120-180K
CAP 180-350K

VIRGIN S/O 104-123K
F/O ???
CAP 180-200K

Looking at the above figures I would say that they are INDEED fairly similar. Granted there is a difference at the high end of Captain's salaries but you have to keep in mind that QAN fly larger planes than Virgin and therefore the pay scales are higher for many QAN pilots. Also, the top scale of 350K for QAN pilots would only apply to a handful of pilots such as Head of Fleet Pilots/Chief Pilot. You will find that 350K certainly does represent an average for QAN Captains and that also the Chief Pilot for Virgin would be on much more than 200K.

Bossdog, I understand your point about wages, it is relevant, but you seem to be fixated on this ONE issue, I think what most of the shareholders (and staff) are saying is that there are much bigger issues at Qantas other than just the wage issue. Putting wages aside, QAN has been on a downward spiral for years ever since they began to outsource everything and cut costs (whilst at the same time increase the bonuses and salaries of management). They clearly have massive morale problems at work and as shareholders, we have to ask why, what is the cause. These cost cuts have flowed through to the services that QAN customers receive and they too are voting with their feet. I can assure you it is not ALL about the wages as you seem to think.

I could go on and on but you need to look at issues such as the operations of engineering, storage of spare parts/equipment, FF program, the food served on the planes, dated A/C fleet, choice of fleet, company direction/strategy, outsourcing, cessation of full time jobs etc...

Have you ever read the story of the turnaround of Southwest Airlines in the USA?. They are heavily unionised yet remain popular and profitable, so it can be done. The turnaround for Southwest (who was heading into the ground at one stage) was that they saw the value in treating their workers with fair and reasonable conditions, they went the reverse and stopped outsourcing, created new full time jobs, put working systems into place, they listened to their staff about making operational improvements, and they have never looked back. QAN management think they are the experts at running an airline yet they fail to see the value in the expertise of thousands of staff (some who have been there for 4 decades or more)who know much more about the day to day running of airline operations than they do (IMO). Management would never agree with this and see themselves as experts who know best. Well if they know so much, why is the SP where it is, how close did the last CEO come to putting 35,000 people out of work and why are shareholders not getting any dividend returns???

Bossdog, I am not having a go at you personally but you say that you want numbers, and some of these have been posted. Time for you to admit that wages are not the only issue here and you need to to acknowledge that QAN faces plenty of other problems. As I said, it ain't all about the wages.

I posted some figures also on Engineer wages at QAN a week or two ago as well to add to the debate.

Cheers

Surfrat