M4 topic 2 Key Influences of H.R -Qantas case study

Question 1

how have employers influenced Qantas.

Answer 1

Qantas recently reformed its industrial relations practises by:

Migrating low fare passengers to Jetstar and Jetstar international 🡒 Cut costs 🡒 negotiate new wage deals with unions

Question 2

how many full time employees does Qantas have

Answer 2

29000 full time employees,

Question 3

how have employees affected Qantas (2)

Answer 3

Employees concerned about:
- maintenance of levels of pay, 
- working conditions and 
- job security 
🡒 lead to disputes

Qantas employees, angered due to:

• Qantas’ industrial relations tactics
• time it takes to end disputes.

Question 4

how strong is the union influence on Qantas

Answer 4

highly unionised workforce, represented by 16 different unions

Question 5

how have unions influenced Qantas

Answer 5

They appose Qantas pay cuts, outsourcing, casulisation of jobs and job losses.

Question 6

list unions that represent Qantas workers (3)

Answer 6

Australian manufacturing Union
Australian worker union
Transport workers union

Question 7

Which employer association is Qantas represented by?

Answer 7

Australian International Airlines Operation Group (AIAOG)

Question 8

How have AIAOG influenced Qantas (1)

Answer 8

AIAOG make sure that the concerns of Qantas are represented to the Federal government and to the community

Question 9

how have Government organisations affected Qantas (2)

Answer 9

They enact and enforce industrial relation legislation:
- Fair Work Act
- Work Health and Safety Act
- Workers Compensation
through the Fair work ombudsman, federal court and fair work commission

Causing Qantas to do things like

• provide a safe work place
• take out insurance
• prohibit discrimination

Question 10

Qantas Economic influences: How has the economic activity of Australia influenced Qantas (2)

Answer 10

2007-8 GFC: fall in demand for Qantas’ services 🡒
- Qantas reducing staff numbers by 400 by 2010
- Freezing of executive pay
to lower costs

February 2014 Qantas axed 5000 jobs as part of a cost reduction program to improve profitability.

Question 11

Qantas Technological influences: what is the influence of new technologies Qantas (4)

Answer 11

-New bomb detectors 🡒 terrorist threats
-New Dream-liner and A380 planes
- New in flight entertainment systems
- Online check in and self service check in
in order to improve quality of service

causing Staff to :
learn new skills 🡒 to operate the new tech (new planes)
Staff been made redundant (concierge for check in)

Question 12

Qantas Social Influences: How have new social trends influenced Qantas (3)

Answer 12

• 25% of Qantas’ workforce, part time or casual 🡒 cut costs by $8 billion in the last 14 years
• 43% of workforce are women, 35% of them occupying senior roles 🡒 correct the imbalance in management positions
• Establishment of “Futurespace” childcare facilities 🡒 work environment more family friendly.