Qantas Wants 100 Execs To Work As Ground Handlers For 3 Months

Kindly turn off CAPS LOCK ….

Easier to read version: Sparkie..You are so right!Many years ago, the ceo of southwest airlines would go out and work on the ramp,at the ticket counter and even onboard with the f/as's to let the employees know he cared and understood all asprcts of the company..He had been a mechanic himself!When I was working,not only me, but most of my fellow employees wished our local manager would go around and actually do some of the work we did so he would understand better..He enjoyed the suit and tie sitting in the office and going to hdq for meetings too much however, as his "Start" had been in the sales office!At least the ceo of our company had yearly meetings open to all employees to address concerns and issues,which included personal and written questions and answers facing all employee groups,however, as with most large companies, when one of the "Big wigs" from headquarters would come to actually visit locally, everything was pristine and fine and the city manager walked around with him or her to make sure nothing was said that might be an issue..This is how it works in most cases..

The task-sharing by Southwest staff was not without hiccups. Some years ago I was about to board a Southwest flight at PVD. One of our flight attendants suffered an injury on the ramp while moving baggage, so couldn’t work the flight. Two-plus hour delay, until an FA coming off an arrival could and did volunteer to work my flight.

Everyone liked working for Herb Kelleher.

...but, it wouldn't hurt to have them trail along to see what REALLY goes into keeping an AC up and going...

Maybe if they saw the layers of paperwork slowing the techs and mechanics down they might find a way to streamline things so the maintenance staff spend more time doing their jobs and less at a desk.

Maybe only observe in the maintenance department. I’d say most executives don’t know which end of a screwdriver to hold. Overall it sounds like a great idea.

Yes, management and office folks can’t pilot planes (unless licensed and current), but they and the organization might benefit if they shadowed pilots: ride in a jump seat, follow pilots through a duty day, stay in the same hotels on overnights and layovers, etc. Their instructions would be shut up, watch, listen, learn.

Quite right mbrews! There's evidence that Qantas outsourced ground handler jobs as part of a deliberate strategy to shed union members from its payroll. In 2021 a judge found that Qantas had engaged in “contravening conduct” by outsourcing the employees’ jobs, in a decision partially motivated by avoiding future industrial action. In May this year, Qantas lost an appeal in Federal Court and plans to take the case to the High Court. If it loses again it could be liable for hefty costs including compensating the sacked workers as well as facing penalties.

I'm referring to a work ethic or lack of it, today. They want to make the money but they don't want to work their way up and earn it.

You mean any work that is not for his benefit.