By James Vassilopoulos

According to a leaked memorandum obtained by Green Left Weekly, Qantas Airways is developing "an industrial disruption labour plan", or scabbing plan, to be implemented in an industrial dispute with unions.

The memo by Bob Broadhouse, general manager of the Corporate and Finance Administration, asks managers to "arrange for staff within your area to be sounded out to see if they would be prepared to volunteer in the event of an industrial dispute".

The memo continues: "Due to the sensitivity of using staff labour to replace workers who have withdrawn their services it would be prudent for approaches to be made (with discretion) directly to staff by the managers or senior supervisors and not to have anything further about this process committed to print or distributed widely".

Staff who scab will receive normal rates of pay, and those who are required to travel to other ports will get bonuses of "appropriate meal allowances" and company-provided accommodation.

Attached to the memo were two forms to be completed by "managers on behalf of the staff who volunteer". The forms include space for entering heavy equipment skills scabs may have, such as bus, truck or fork-lift driving.

The memo continues: "I intend establishing a cascading contact system amongst the volunteers within each area to enable speedy and efficient communication. This will be concentrated whenever possible through managers and supervisors." The memo ends by stating that all forms should be returned to Broadhouse by July 19.

The plan is being developed in the wake of stalled enterprise bargaining negotiations between Qantas and unions, including the Transport Workers Union, Australian Services Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

The negotiations are being led by an ACTU committee. Management has offered an 8% pay rise over two years, accompanied by significant "productivity trade-offs" Management's wish list includes: "flexible" work arrangements, including unlimited part-time work; the introduction of casuals; no rostered days off; and an extension in hours worked.

The unions are calling for a 20% wage increase over two years with no trade-offs. They also want the enterprise bargaining contract to allow union officials right of entry.

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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