The AFAP has made successful applications to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for protected industrial action (PIA) ballots of members flying for Qantas Group airline operators Network Aviation (based in Western Australia), Eastern (based in New South Wales and Victoria) and Sunstate (based in Queensland and South Australia).
These three pilot groups have been attempting to negotiate new enterprise agreements to replace:
- Network Aviation Pilots Enterprise Agreement 2016 (expired 31 Oct 2020)
- Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited Pilots Enterprise Agreement 2019 (expired 31 Dec 2022)
- Sunstate Airlines (QLD) Pty Limited Pilots Enterprise Agreement 2019 (expired 31 Dec 2022)
The AFAP’s Network members are employed by aircraft charter and passenger operator Network Aviation, which is a wholly owned Qantas subsidiary. Eastern and Sunstate members are employed by Australia’s largest regional passenger airline QantasLink.
“Network pilots are paid significantly lower than pilots at comparable airlines,” said AFAP Senior Industrial Officer Chris Aikens.
“The AFAP has been genuinely negotiating and trying to reach an agreement with Qantas management but the company remains unwilling to revisit its inflexible wages policy instituted under the former CEO.”
“With more than 85 per cent of Network pilots being AFAP members, the pilot group is highly engaged and keen to make progress with these negotiations,” said Mr Aikens.
More than 85 per cent of each pilot group are members of the AFAP and thus more than 600 pilots are eligible to vote in the three ballots which will all close on 25 September.
This process will be run electronically by Truevote, a balloting agent approved by the FWC.