All notices are subject to revision at short notice.
Please be aware that the Union does not want to spread panic, but also must face the grim task of managing expectations for our fellow Union members.
It is important to note that in areas where there is a shortage of work due to the declared pandemic, stand downs may continue for long periods while aircraft remain grounded by the crisis.
However, in areas that do have work, wherever and whenever this occurs, it will be turned over on a fortnightly basis. This is to speed up the turnaround time for spreading and sharing any of the limited work opportunities that do remain.
To prevent disappointment, it is vital to be realistic, areas without work may still be subject to lengthy stand down periods, and only those areas with productive work available will have the two-weekly rotation of shifts according to randomised alphabetical selection of staff.
In this unprecedented global pandemic, the Union must be realistic in admitting that for the majority of Union members this will still result in long stretches without work.
The Union is committed to fighting to minimise the damage of an already bad situation and the only hope right now is to press for faster and therefore fairer distribution of any work that does remain.
2 weeks not 4
Following concern by members that 4 weeks was too long and 2 weeks was a better and fairer time frame to share the available work around, we managed to put a lot of pressure on Qantas, Jetstar and Qantas Link and they now confirm that the stand down period for Qantas airports, freight, Aae, Jetstar ground services and Qantas link airports will be for 2 weeks not 4 weeks and the selection of who gets the work will be randomised by the alphabet.
Changing the mind of the company on this issue is SIGNIFICANT.
HOW IT WORKS
The proposal for 2 weeks not 4 week stand downs does not mean people will be working 2 weeks on & 2 weeks off. It means that the work that is available is shared around in 2 week blocks. People could be off for 4, 6 or 8 weeks or more depending on what is required work-wise in your location before a person’s letter of the alphabet comes up in the randomized system … it means people will get work quicker but if there is not much work it may still be a while off before you get work.
