Preferential Bid System Under Attack?

G'day,
Just thought I would write to you regarding a recent newsletter on the FAAA website. The threat to the Preferential Bid System has raised its ugly head once again. Read the newsletter and see what you think.
I have just written a letter to MIchael Mijatov regarding this. Please find it below. If you think the same way as I do then please let your fellow crew members know. If the letter is of any use to you, feel free to take what you like out of it to let Michael Mijatov know how you feel.
Cheers,
John Mumford
email address is johnmumford@tpg.com.au

Dear Michael,
I am writing in reference to your newsletter dated 11 December 2008 and titled Seniority Bid System / Rosters and Rumours.
To say I was surprised and disappointed by your newsletter is an understatement. I found the wording of the newsletter to be inflammatory and misleading.
The subject of the Preferential Bid System, and here I must reinforce the wording the Preferential Bid System and not the Seniority Bid System or Seniority Preferential Bid System as you constantly state, I thought was put to bed after the signing of the EBA 8. How many times does the FAAA need to be told that the majority of the membership wholeheartedly supports the existing system and does not want it to be tampered with in any way. As you know it is the only way that cabin crew can have some sort of control over their lives. To go back, and I emphasise go back, to a so called "fair share" system is giving away the control that most of us have in creating a normal lifestyle.
This is where I must take issue with you specifically regarding paragraph 9, where you state " The FAAA has repeatedly stated its support of the bid system, even though we know that up to 25% of Part 1 crew voted against it in a poll conducted by the FAA late last year,prior to QCCA crew being employed. Bearing in mind that there appears to be an apparent upswing in dissatisfaction with rtosters produced by the seniority bid system for Part 1 crew, the FAAA's stance will always be guided by its membership, as to whether some move from the current system is desired by the majority of our Part 1 members". How leading is this paragraph? The issue here is that almost 80% of respondents to the survey were in favour of maintaining the existing Preferrential Bid System. If this is not a ringing endorsment as to the sentiment of cabin crew then what do you require as proof that the vast majorirty do not want to change, and to float the idea that the membership might want to move from the existing Prefferntial Bid System is mischievous.
Another paragraph that I find misleading, and again mischievous, is paragraph 8. You state "For information of Part 1 crew, it is the Company's intention that all QCCA crew will ultimately work in the A380 group. That by definition means that the QCCA crew will not be in the work pool of Part 1 crew as most are now. The operation of the seniority preferential bid system will mean that at that point, junior Part 1 crew will then be issued with rosters of work that is "left over" after the more senior people have been awarded the more desired trips". We all know that it will be years before the full quota of A380's arrive and in the meantime with the constant Voluntary Redundancy packages and natural attrition there will be a great need to employ more cabin crew. These crew will be QCCA and thus will be required to work not entirely in the A380 sphere of work but in the overall pool of work. This will obviously mean there will be a flushing through effect thus providing Part 1 crew a greater say in regards to their bidding. Economically this is the only common sense approach the Company will take. For you to infer that all is lost for junior Part 1 crew is misleading. This brings me to a point I raised and you reinforced, at the pre EBA 8 meetings, and that is it is in the best long term interests of all crew that we endeavour to increase the conditions of the QCCA crew, and one of these conditions would be the integration of QCCA crew into the bidding system. I wish you would continue along these lines.
In regards to paragraph 11, "If the dissatisfaction with the current seniority bid system continues to grow, the FAAA will be happy to consult with our members in the New Year, to determine if a majority of our members want the FAAA to initiate discussions with Qantas, for some other system", I find this to be amazing. As I stated earlier in my letter there is a confirmed majority of FAAA members who do not want to change from the Preferential Bid System. This I might add is a silent majority, a large group of FAAA members who do not constantly write to you stating how happy they are with the Preferentail Bid System, but I am sure if you attempt to dismantle the existing system it will be a marshalling call for these hundreds of members. I know there are many important issues confronting the FAAA, however I cannot over emphasise the importance that most crew place on this issue and how devisive this could become.
I think the answer to this problem is not to dismantle the Preferential Bid System, but to take a proactive stance. That is to highlight the benefits of the Preferential Bid System. This could be done by employing specialists to run bidding seminars, specifically to improve members bidding potential and also to be used as bidding advisers, as we used to have, in the 2 week bidding window, especially the last week, both at the base and on line. This would help to alleviate members concerns about the integrity of the Preferential Bid System. I understand the FAAA is running classes to assist members with their bidding and this is a step in the right direction.
I do not like writing letters such as this Michael, however I feel it is necessary to let you know the angst being felt amongst members by once again inferring the Preferential Bid System is under threat.
After all this Michael I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and thank you for the hard work you do representing cabin crew.
Yours sincerely,
F/A John Mumford
Staff Number 09597
Email address johnmumford@tpg.com.au