AFAP Qantas Short Haul EA Update No. 4
On Thursday 29 February 2024 the AFAP attended another Qantas Short Haul EA negotiation meeting in Sydney. Attending from the AFAP were Simon Lutton (AFAP Executive Director), Pat Larkins (AFAP Senior Legal/Industrial Officer) and Captain Michael Egan (AFAP Qantas Pilot Council Chair).
Attending for the Company were Captain Andrew Coull, Doug Alley, Jim Morton (Qantas IR), Karl Romberg-Yee (Qantas IR) and Rebecca Franklin.
You will recall that in earlier meetings and correspondence we had presented your survey results to the Company and also highlighted the Company’s good faith bargaining obligations, resulting in the release of the formal offer put to the other bargaining representative. This offer has been rejected as insufficient.
In this meeting, building on our survey results and meetings of the AFAP Qantas Pilot Council (QPC), we provided the Company with our log of claims. A summary of our claims which fall under 5 broad headings is as follows:
1. Higher minimum days off / greater protection of time at home
The survey results show that pilots believe that the current minimum X days and protections are insufficient. We noted that when compared to other operators QF Short Haul have lowest guaranteed time at home in the industry. In light of this our claims include:
- Increase in min DDOs to 11 in 6 RPs and 12 in 7 RPs
- Increase hours protections around days off – 36 around single day off with additional 24 hours + local night for each consecutive day off
- No single DDOs unless a pilots opts-in
- No requirement to work on a day off (X day, BL day) other than by agreement of individual pilot
2. Remuneration - Higher base salary / guaranteed earnings
Our claim for salary includes:
- An immediate 8.36% increase to make up for the 2022, 2023 shortfall when compared to CPI.
- An Additional 5% pay increase in line with industry movements.
- Increases over the life of agreement in line with forecast CPI of:
- 2024: 4%
- 2025: 4%
- 2026: 3%
- 2027: 3%
Other claims and priorities for remuneration include:
- Years of service recognition in pay scales (as opposed to years in rank)
3. Pay certainty
Focus on addressing rostering efficiency (density) and security of income through:
- Duty RIG / Trip RIG
- Roster publish credit protection
- Active reserve credits (min 4 hours) on all reserve duties
- 100% positioning credits
- Remove RDC system and replace with pattern protection based on rostered publish hours (including 4 hours for SBY).
- Pilot must be paid this amount at a minimum or actual credits performed if greater.
- Pilots self-removing due sick leave remove from protected amount.
- Genuine fatigue removals pay protected.
4. Work Rules (fatigue / lifestyle)
- Call out from reserve cannot disrupt other rostered duties unless agreed.
- When a duty is disrupted a reassigned duty may only sign-on/ sign-off +- 1 hour from original sign-on/sign-off time in Home Base.
- Pilots want the (A320 family) work rules restored to the EA.
- Limit on trip length – apply limit of a 4 day pattern (3 nights away) including for international patterns.
- Crew rest requirements for the A320 family to be included in the EA.
- Limitations around consecutive early duties.
- Greater protection of time at home.
5. Other Issues
- Removal of DILS and provide a payment for working on an X day and BL day - hard credit minimum of 5 hours or actual if greater.
- Flexi-line – seeking minimum 10% level of access in each category to flexi-line. Consideration of additional rostering options (roster on/ roster off). Ensure access rotates / min terms. Priority access consistent with legislation.
- Annual leave - increase notice to allow planning and remove limit of 2 week blocks.
- Equal recognition of the AFAP under the EA - consistent with QF Group policy in other QF Group entities.
- Introduction of a reimbursement for MBF coverage taken out in addition to the QF entitlement.
Overall, the meeting was conducted in a professional manner. The Company asked a number of clarifying questions regarding our claims and presentation. We also agreed to provide a full copy of the presentation to the Company. The full copy of our presentation is attached - here.
At the end of the meeting there was discussion of recent aircraft announcements and the current schedule for the arrival of A321-XLR aircraft (including their domestic configuration) and phase out of B737 aircraft.
We will advise you of the next meeting.
For any general inquiries regarding this update or other matters at Qantas please contact the AFAP legal and industrial team of Senior Legal/ Industrial Officer Pat Larkins (patrick@afap.org.au), Senior Industrial Officer Chris Aikens (chris@afap.org.au), or Executive Director Simon Lutton (simon@afap.org.au).
Regards,
AFAP Qantas Pilot Council
Michael Egan - Chair
Mark Gilmour - Vice- Chair
Daniel Kobeleff - Secretary
Michael Armessen - Committee Member