Fed: Ansett staff worried about jobs after call for redundancies

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2000
Fed: Ansett staff worried about jobs after call for redundancies

MELBOURNE, Dec 15 AAP - Ansett Airlines staff are worried about their jobs after the
company's mass offer of voluntary redundancies, a union said today.

About 11,000 Ansett and 9,000 former Air New Zealand staff this week received memos
offering redundancies, following merger of the airlines in June.

The Australian Services Union (ASU) said the company had given no indication as to
the number of job cuts required.

ASU assistant national secretary Linda White said some staff would leave because they
were fed up, while others would perceive the business as going downhill and get out.

Ms White said staff morale had sunk.

"Putting it out (redundancy offers) so wide with no idea about what the plan is ...

it affects morale dramatically because people don't see any picture of how things will
be," she added.

Ms White said the union was also concerned about what would happen to the staff "left
behind" after the voluntary redundancies were taken up.

Ansett spokeswoman Jo Ford was unable to put a figure on how many redundancies were
required, saying there was no overall target.

However, she said, "It's in every sense of the word a voluntary scheme".

Ms Ford said staff had been offered the redundancies before Christmas to enable them
to discuss the prospect with their families over the break.

Staff will be able to talk over the issues with career counsellors supplied by Ansett
during the holidays.

Ms Ford said staff wanting to accept "generous packages" had until the end of January
to "put their hand up" - although not all volunteers would be accepted.

Acceptance would depend on business needs.

AAP hmg/imc/hu/br

KEYWORD: ANSETT NIGHTLEAD

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