I don't usually engage in these discussions as they generally descend into a slanging match, but this topic is one that I'm getting on my soapbox about. Lets see how many friends I can lose in one go!
First let me state my position on the subject. I, for one, agree completely with this new award and hope that it is enforced. The indicated starting salary range seems very fair to me, for crying out loud, IT'S ONLY $40k!!
professional is NOT what you are straight off the CPL course - a long way from it!
Gotta disagree with you there Harold. I consider myself a professional and I have done in all my career choices, from my days as a diesel mechanic to my career in aviation. In my opinion, being professional has nothing to do with experience, qualifications or the type of job you do. It is a mindset and the result of a conscious decision as to how you perform the task at hand.
I think a few are missing the point. I don't believe anyone on this thread is asking for anything more than the fundamental right to a fair days pay for a fair days work. The issue is what some of you think is a fair days pay.
A brand new CPL getting paid $17 - $20K IMHO is a fair cop!
You've got to be kidding me mate. As Worzel Gummidge said, it's 2010. I got more than that when I started flying 13 years ago and I made just under that as a first year apprentice some 22 years ago! Forget the award for a minute, paying anyone that amount for a full time role is simply criminal and I'm not using that term metaphorically! It's a good thing, then again maybe it's a bad thing, that the Fair Work Ombudsman doesn't have a confidential reporting system as they'd be run off their feet!
The argument that you have no experience and as such don't deserve the award is utter bull$hit. Who then decides when you deserve the award? That's the whole point of an award, it's gets rid of these arguments and forces businesses to adequately compensate their staff for the work they do.
Fit In or....well you will hear the rest when you start demanding wages and how much YOU should be on.
Jesus, what sort of a conformist attitude is that! Speaking up when we feel something isn't right is one of the values this country was built on, does the Eureka Stockade ring a bell!
Good luck to all those new pilots out there. I see a pay rise coming your way!
Cheers,
Dan.