Fed:No justification for Qantas to move jobs offshore-unions

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2005
Fed:No justification for Qantas to move jobs offshore-unions

By Samantha Baden and Kaaren Morrissey

SYDNEY, Feb 17 AAP - A bumper half-year profit result for Qantas proved there was no
justification for moving any of the Australian carrier's workforce offshore, unions said
today.

The company today reported a 28 per cent lift in first half net profit to $458.4 million,
beating market expectations of a profit around $430.5 million.

The airline's chief executive officer Geoff Dixon also today took aim at the union
representing flight attendants, while defending the airline's staff conditions.

"We provide very, very good conditions in this company, we provide - for this industry
- relatively secure employment, we provide and are spending billions of dollars on giving
our people the best equipment," Mr Dixon said.

The Flight Attendants Association of Australia (FAAA) was not representing its members
effectively, he said.

"I think this group of people are appallingly led - I think the FAAA, who every time
we even say hello to them say we'll strike, are really derelict in how they represent
their people."

But FAAA secretary Michael Mijatov defended the union.

"Poor old Geoff, he's probably still smarting over the fact that we had the temerity
to publicly criticise his actions about destroying Australian jobs," Mr Mijatov said.

He denied the union threatened strikes at the drop of a hat.

"Once they (Qantas) took a realistic position over the (enterprise bargaining agreement)
negotiations we were able to conclude an agreement without striking.

"We're not a militant union, it's just that we're one of the few Qantas unions that
actually dares to question, criticise and embarrass them publicly for good reason when
it comes to their manic desire to destroy Australian jobs," Mr Mijatov said.

Mr Dixon said Qantas had a track record of growing jobs in Australia, but the competitive
industry in which it operated meant some supplies and staff would in future have to be
sourced overseas.

Of the company's 35,000 full time staff, 95 per cent were in Australia.

Mr Dixon denied the company was planning to shift more than 7,000 jobs overseas.

"We will source some of our supplies and people offshore but always, always thinking
we are an Australian airline," he said.

Qantas will this month open a new cabin crew base in London with more than 400 Europe-based
flight attendants, including about 200 Australians.

But unions blasted the carrier, calling on the airline to show its commitment to Australian
workers by keeping their jobs safe.

"It's a very solid profit result and it reinforces there's absolutely no justification
for Qantas risking its solid maintenance record by outsourcing any jobs overseas," Australian
Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) NSW assistant secretary Tim Ayres said.

The AMWU represents about 1,500 maintenance and engineering staff at Qantas.

Australian Services Union (ASU) assistant national secretary Linda White said it was
unclear which jobs would be outsourced.

"The reality is they've made so much more money this year by keeping it in Australia,
it's just been going bigger and better," she said.

AAP smb/kp/maur/jlw

KEYWORD: QANTAS JOBS LEAD

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.